Anand: At least 12 people lost their lives and nine others were rescued after multiple vehicles plunged into the Mahisagar River when a portion of the decades-old Gambhira Bridge near Mujpur in Vadodara district collapsed on Wednesday morning.

The collapse happened suddenly, sending two trucks, a pick-up van, and other vehicles tumbling into the swollen river. Within moments, panic spread as locals rushed to the scene, followed by police and emergency response teams. Nine people who sustained injuries have been admitted to Padra CHC and Vadodara’s SSG Hospital.

Update at 12:30 am on July 10: Of the bodies recovered in the evening, two have been identified: Mahendrabhai Parvatbhai Hathiya from Dwarka and Vishnubhai Rawal from Anklav.

Following the incident, large-scale rescue operations were launched. Over 20 fire department personnel, one NDRF team, one SDRF team, two fire department boats, three fire tenders, more than 10 ambulances, and over five medical teams are currently involved in rescue operations at the site. In addition, local residents have also joined the efforts.

Gambhira Bridge collapse: 9 dead as vehicles plunge into Mahisagar river in Gujarathttps://t.co/Vsl0Kmbj8u pic.twitter.com/eXgIXgAZbA

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According to official information, two Eco vans, one rickshaw, one pickup vehicle, and two bikes plunged into the river after the collapse of the bridge, which connects Central Gujarat to Saurashtra. The bridge connects Anand and Vadodara districts.

Vadodara District Collector Anil Dhamelia stated that a rescue operation is currently underway, with priority given to retrieving people trapped in the water. He added that action will be taken against those found responsible, but the focus remains on rescue efforts for now.

The Gambhira Bridge, built in 1981 and opened to traffic in 1985, had reportedly been in poor condition for years. Despite visible deterioration, only minor repairs were carried out over the years, and heavy vehicles continued to use the bridge.

The collapse has now severed a crucial transport route linking Anand, Vadodara, Bharuch, and Ankleshwar to Saurashtra, severely disrupting regional connectivity and commerce.

Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said that the bridge had been maintained periodically and added that the exact cause of the collapse will be investigated. Additionally, Executive Engineer of the Roads and Buildings Department, N. M. Nayakawala, said, “The bridge was built in 1985 and has a designed life of 100 years. Last year, maintenance work was carried out after inspection. Even this year, potholes were repaired. In our reports, no major structural damage was found. Whether the bridge was truly dilapidated will be known only after a detailed investigation.”

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has ordered technical experts to visit the site and lead the probe into the incident. A team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also been dispatched with rescue equipment to aid ongoing operations.

As rescue efforts continue, the tragedy has sparked questions over possible administrative lapses and the high cost of ignoring infrastructure warnings. DeshGujarat