11 killed as 40-yr-old Vadodara bridge gives way

Eleven persons were killed and nine others rescued as several vehicles plunged into Mahisagar river after a portion of a four-decade-old bridge collapsed in Gujarat’s Vadodara district on Wednesday morning, officials said.

A slab of the Gambhira bridge, which connects central Gujarat to the Saurashtra region of the state, collapsed, killing 11 persons, SP Rohan Anand said.

Visuals from the site showed the entire chunk of the slab of the bridge between two piers having collapsed. The slab collapse caused the vehicles, which were passing through the bridge, to plunge into the river. Two trucks, two vans, an autorickshaw and a two-wheeler fell into the river, Vadodara Collector Anil Dhameliya said. Three persons on the two-wheeler, who fell into the river, managed to swim to safety, he said, adding two other vehicles that came dangerously close to falling into the river were dragged away to a safer site.

Heart-wrenching scenes were witnessed at the accident site as perched atop a submerged vehicle, 35-year-old Sonalben Padhiyar kept pleading to onlookers to save her two children and husband after the vehicle they were travelling in plunged into the river. By the time rescuers reached the spot, it was too late. Her husband and kids had already drowned.

PM Narendra Modi and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel expressed grief over the tragedy and announced ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 4 lakh, respectively, to the next of kin of each deceased, and Rs 50,000 as compensation to the injured.

Opposition leaders blamed the BJP government for “negligence” and sought CM Patel’s resignation. They said although some opposition leaders had drawn the attention of the administration to the condition of the bridge, it did not pay heed.

Leader of Opposition in Assembly Amit Chavda said, “The bridge has collapsed due to the criminal negligence of the state government. We demand an inquiry and want those responsible for such grave negligence to be punished.” AAP’s Gujarat chief Isudan Gadhvi also demanded the CM’s resignation.

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