Vadodara: The tragic collapse of the Mujpur-Gambhira bridge, which claimed 21 lives, has plunged thousands of locals into daily hardship. The biggest struggle now is crossing the Mahi river between Padra and Anand. To avoid a diversion that adds nearly 50 km to their journey, many commuters from Anand have started crossing the river by fishing boats.

The 900-metre bridge, which collapsed during peak hours a few weeks ago, has forced residents and factory workers to risk their lives every day. Locals say people seeking livelihoods are facing severe hardship as they rely on small boats to cross from one bank to the other.

Every morning, people travel by boat to reach their workplaces in Padra, and in the evening, they make the same risky return trip. Scenes of workers braving danger to sustain their livelihoods have become an everyday reality.

Talking to the media, one such worker said, “We face problems in our commute. If we take the alternative route, it wastes around two hours and nearly ₹200 worth of petrol, so we are using boats. Even though we are scared, we have no other option.”

Another worker said that the government should repair the bridge as soon as possible so that two-wheeler motorists can get to their jobs.

One of the boat operators stated, “Around 400–500 people commute across the river daily. We are doing this at our own risk to help the public, but we may not be able to continue. If something goes wrong during high tide, officials will hold us accountable. We request the government to provide a bigger boat or a jetty solution so we can safely manage the commute for these people.”

It is noteworthy that the collapse has disrupted the daily commute of around 4,000 workers from Anand district, who are employed in 53 industrial units in Padra producing chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and mechanical components. While companies have stepped in by arranging private transport, introducing flexible working hours, relaxing attendance norms, and even increasing vehicle allowances, workers are still risking their lives crossing the river by boat due to lengthy detours and fear of losing their jobs.

Meanwhile, to manage traffic flow, authorities have announced alternative routes:

Heavy vehicles traveling from Tarapur to Vadodara must take the Vasad route.

Light vehicles from villages in Borsad taluka heading toward Vadodara should use the Umeta route instead of the collapsed Gambhira bridge.

Vehicles from Padra going toward Anand or Tarapur must also use Umeta, while heavy vehicles are again directed to Vasad.

Despite these measures, the collapse has turned daily commuting into a life-threatening ordeal for many. DeshGujarat