Gambhira Bridge Collapse: Death Toll Rises to 21, Locals Slam Minister

Vadodara, Gujarat – The death toll in the Gambhira Bridge collapse incident has risen to 21 as one Narendrasinh Parmar, a resident of Dahivan village in Borsad taluka breathed his last at the Sayaji hospital in Vadodara on Friday. Official sources said that two dead bodies are still trapped under the gurder of the ill-fated span that collapsed on July 9. 

The administration confirmed the death of 18 people in the Gambhira bridge collapse incident late Thursday night. However, the death toll increased on Friday with the death of the Borsad man in Sayaji hospital and two dead bodies stuck under the debris of the collapsed span. 

This bridge accident in Gujarat has brought to fore the negligence of the officials of the Roads and Building department. Even after more than 50  hours of the incident, the rescue mission still continues in the Mahi river. 

Questions have also been raised about the government’s rescue operations due to lack of success in evacuating the victims. There is a possibility that some people may be buried under the truck that was pushed into the river.

By the night of July 9,  13 dead bodies were found in the river. Thereafter, on the 10thi, rescue operations were affected due to high tide in Mahi river. However, the  rescue operations continued on the 10th and 5 more bodies were found, taking the death toll to 18.

Rushikesh Patel, spokesperson of the Gujarat government and senior cabinet minister reached the accident site on Friday after three days of the incident and took the report from the district collector over the ongoing rescue mission. However, the people of Daryapur in Mujpur were angry as the minister did not visit the house of Sonalben, who was killed in the bridge collapse incident. 

“Mujpur and People of Daryapur do not live in Pakistan as if they will shoot at you and kill you. Had the minister gone to meet the family members of the deceased Sonalben, they would have been able to explain the plight of her daughters who are left without a mother” said a local leader of Daryapur village.

Rushikesh Patel does not meet the locals. Anger is visible among the villagers. Villagers around Mujpur said that Health Minister Rushikesh Patel came but did not meet them. The police had stopped them from meeting the minister. The entire family of Daryapur village died in this accident and they were not consoled by the minister. 

The entire investigation will be completed in 30 days: Rushikesh Patel

Rushikesh Patel said, “ I have come to take stock of the incident and am accompanied by R&B officials. At the preliminary stage it has come to light that due to crushing of the pedestal and articulation the bridge’s span slid and fell into the river. The government has suspended four engineers. Two bodies are still  visible which will be rescued. Officers have been ordered to submit the report of the incident within 30 days”