Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has called for a thorough investigation into the Gambhira bridge collapse in Gujarat’s Vadodara district, which left 15 people dead and several others missing, as rescue operations continued for the second consecutive day.
Speaking to ANI, Priyanka Gandhi said, “It is extremely unfortunate… Such incidents should be thoroughly investigated.”
The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday, when a portion of the bridge connecting Vadodara and Anand collapsed, plunging multiple vehicles into the Mahisagar River below.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are conducting extensive search and rescue operations, covering areas up to 4 km downstream.
According to Vadodara Collector Anil Dhameliya, “The death toll stands at 15 with three more bodies recovered today. Four people are still missing.”
Officials added that two vehicles remain trapped in the sludge, and efforts are underway to stabilize an empty tanker left hanging from the broken section of the bridge.
On Wednesday, Vadodara SP Rohan Anand confirmed that a 10–15 metre slab in the middle of the bridge collapsed, sending two trucks, two pickup vans, and a rickshaw into the river. Two vehicles are still stranded on the damaged section.
Earlier in the day, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge held the BJP government accountable for the bridge collapse and the recent Ahmedabad plane crash, calling them results of “leadership crisis, rampant corruption, and incompetence.”