One Year of Gambhira Bridge Collapse: 22 Lives Lost, 1 Still Missing

One year after the tragic Gambhira bridge collapse over the Mahi River near Mujpur in Padra taluka, the family of a young man from Narasinhpura village is still waiting for closure as his body remains missing.

The bridge collapse, which occurred on July 9, 2025, claimed 22 lives after several vehicles plunged into the river. While the bodies of the other victims were recovered, Vikram Padhiyar has not been traced even after a year. His family is now awaiting the issuance of his death certificate.

Vikram and his cousin Rajesh Chavda had attended a friend's birthday celebration the previous night and were travelling to work together on a motorcycle when a section of the bridge collapsed.

Recalling the tragedy, Vikram's father said the incident continues to haunt the family. Rajesh, a resident of Devapura in Anand district, had stayed overnight at Vikram's home because it was late after the celebration. The next morning, the two cousins left for work, unaware it would be their final journey.

Vikram was the youngest of four siblings and is survived by his wife and a daughter, who was just nine months old at the time of the accident.

New bridge nearing completion

Days before the bridge collapsed, the Gujarat government had approved ₹212 crore for the construction of a new bridge. However, the project gained momentum only after the disaster disrupted connectivity between Vadodara and Anand districts.

The new bridge is being constructed by Manglam Buildcon and is scheduled for completion by August 3, although authorities are aiming to open it for traffic before the deadline.