Ahmedabad’s Subhash Bridge to be demolished and rebuilt after structural cracks detected in pillars

Ahmedabad motorists and residents are set to witness a major infrastructure overhaul as the historic and heavily used Subhash Bridge over the Sabarmati River will be completely demolished and rebuilt, Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) Commissioner has announced.

The bridge was first closed in December 2025 for 'urgent structural maintenance' initially, however, later in March, it was decided that the bridge will be restored within the next nine months (by January 2027), with civic authorities approving a ₹236 crore tender for the project.

Civic officials had said the existing superstructure of the bridge will be dismantled and replaced with a steel composite girder structure, while the foundation will be strengthened.

The tender for the work was awarded to D R Agarwal Infracon. 

Cracks in pillars trigger safety concerns

Now, significant cracks have been detected in the bridge's pillars. Following the discovery, a team of bridge experts carried out a detailed inspection of the entire structure and prepared a comprehensive assessment report.

According to the expert report, the bridge's piers have completed nearly 53 years of service and their structural strength has now reached a potentially unsafe stage, raising serious concerns about the long-term stability of the bridge.

Experts recommend complete reconstruction

Based on the findings of the technical assessment, experts unanimously recommended that the existing piers and sub-structure be completely removed and replaced with a new bridge rather than undertaking repair work.

AMC has accepted the recommendation and decided to move ahead with the construction of a new bridge in place of the existing structure.

Project cost and timeline likely to increase

Earlier, the estimated cost for repair and rehabilitation of Subhash Bridge was pegged at approximately ₹236 crore. However, with the decision to completely rebuild the bridge, the overall project cost is expected to increase substantially.

The earlier repair plan was expected to take around nine months to complete. With a new bridge now being planned, the project timeline is also likely to be significantly extended.

Detailed technical planning underway

Municipal authorities have begun an in-depth analysis of the proposed project, including its total cost, construction timeline, design specifications, lifecycle assessment and other technical parameters.

The decision has been taken as a safety measure and is expected to play a crucial role in Ahmedabad's future traffic management and urban infrastructure planning.