Gujarat Bridge Collapse Horror: Bridge Splits in Two in Vadodara, Cutting Off Vital Link to Anand — Panic, Outrage, and Questions Follow

In another devastating blow to Gujarat’s infrastructure, a major bridge connecting Vadodara and Anand districts collapsed on Tuesday afternoon, splitting cleanly into two massive sections and severely disrupting travel and trade between the regions. While no casualties have been confirmed as of now, the sheer scale of destruction and negligence has left locals in shock — and officials scrambling for answers.

The collapsed bridge, located near the Golden Bridge stretch over the Mahi River, was a crucial transport artery used daily by thousands of commuters, farmers, and transporters. Officials say the bridge broke into two separate sections, with one end sinking dangerously into the river’s edge and the other hanging mid-air — like a grotesque monument to government failure.

THE COLLAPSE: “LIKE A SUDDEN EARTHQUAKE”

Eyewitnesses described the collapse as something out of a nightmare.

“We heard a loud cracking sound, like thunder, and the road began shaking,” said Jignesh Rathod, a truck driver who was barely 20 meters from the rupture point. “Seconds later, we saw one side of the bridge just… vanish. It snapped and fell like a matchstick.”

Within moments, the bridge was in two, with twisted iron, broken concrete, and crumbled railings plunging into the water below. The entire stretch was severed, leaving dozens of vehicles stranded on both sides of the river.

Fortunately, traffic at the time was relatively light — and alert commuters managed to stop in time. Otherwise, officials fear the collapse could have led to dozens of fatalities.

ANAND-VADODARA CONNECTION BROKEN

The bridge served as a critical route between Vadodara and Anand, enabling not just passenger movement but also the transport of agricultural produce, industrial goods, and daily commuters. With its sudden collapse, the economic and logistical strain is already being felt.

“My milk tanker was due in Anand by evening. Now it’s stuck, and we have to take a 40 km detour,” said dairy supplier Vipul Patel. “This collapse is a disaster — not just for us, but for everyone who depends on this route.”

Authorities have temporarily diverted traffic through longer, congested bypasses, but locals fear the entire region will suffer for weeks, if not months.

POLITICAL FIRESTORM: “WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?”

As images of the collapsed structure flooded social media, public anger erupted. Questions were raised about the structural health of the bridge, which locals say had been showing visible cracks and rusted joints for months.

Local MLA Chirag Zaveri slammed the state government for what he called “criminal negligence.”

“This wasn’t an act of God. This was a ticking time bomb ignored by officials. And now the public has to pay the price.”

Even more infuriating: reports indicate that no structural audit had been conducted in over four years, despite repeated requests by local residents for safety checks.

The Public Works Department has so far declined to comment on maintenance lapses, though a formal inquiry has been ordered.

CHIEF MINISTER PROMISES ACTION

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel has promised a “thorough investigation” and announced that senior engineers and contractors involved in the bridge’s upkeep will be summoned for questioning.

“The safety of our citizens is non-negotiable,” he said in a late-night press briefing. “Those responsible will be held accountable.”

He also ordered immediate inspection of similar bridges across the state, especially those over rivers and high-traffic routes.

SOCIAL MEDIA ERUPTS: #BridgeOfNeglect TRENDS

Within hours, the hashtag #BridgeOfNeglect began trending nationwide, with users sharing photos of crumbling infrastructure, demanding resignations, and comparing the incident to the 2022 Morbi bridge tragedy.

One tweet read:

“From Morbi to Vadodara, how many more lives and crores must be lost before our bridges stop collapsing?”

Another added:

“This isn’t a tragedy — it’s a recurring pattern of ignored warnings and stolen funds.”

FINAL WORD: A GAP WIDER THAN CONCRETE

The Vadodara-Anand bridge collapse is not just about broken cement and iron — it’s about a broken system, broken trust, and a crisis of accountability.

As the twisted remains of the bridge lie silent over the river, the real question echoes across Gujarat:

How many more warnings will it take… before the next collapse becomes a national mourning?