Death toll in Gujarat bridge collapse rises to 13; opposition blames govt negligence

Ahmedabad: Thirteen people died after a portion of the 40-year-old Gambhira bridge over the Mahisagar river collapsed in Gujarat’s Vadodara district around 7.30 am on Wednesday. Nine others were rescued, some with injuries, after vehicles fell into the river, according to PTI.

Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), blamed the state government for criminal negligence and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. They claimed that repeated warnings from local leaders and social workers about the deteriorating condition of the bridge were ignored by the administration.

"The government had, however, not paid any attention to the representations. The bridge has collapsed due to the criminal negligence of the state government. We demand inquiry and punishment for those responsible for such grave negligence," opposition leader Amit Chavda told PTI. AAP Gujarat president Isudan Gadhvi echoed the sentiment, calling it a man-made disaster. 

Former CM Shankarsinh Vaghela also termed it criminal negligence, stating that social workers had flagged the bridge’s condition in 2022 and sought its reconstruction. Opposition leaders urged the government to conduct and publish audits of all old bridges across the state to avoid further tragedies.