Vadodara bridge collapse: Activists say repeated warnings about ‘dangerous condition’ ignored

After at least 16 people were killed when a section of the Gambhira bridge over the Mahisagar river collapsed in Padra taluk of Gujarat’s Vadodara district, social activists, Opposition leaders and local residents have alleged that authorities ignored repeated warnings about the “dangerous condition” of the four-decade-old structure.

They claim that even the government official they alerted in 2022 admitted the structure “may not survive long”, yet no urgent repairs or closure followed.

Lakhan Darbar, founder of the Yuva Sena activist group in Vadodara, said that he had warned authorities during discussions on August 22, 2022. He accused officials of wilful negligence, saying, “They knew the bridge was on the verge of collapse but took no steps to prevent this tragedy.”