Gujarat Govt Approves Major ₹212 Cr Bridge Project in Vadodara.

Days after the tragic Mahisagar river bridge collapse that claimed 20 lives, the Gujarat government has swiftly approved the construction of a new parallel two-lane bridge in Vadodara district, allocating ₹212 crore for the critical project.

The decision comes after a segment of a 40-year-old bridge near Gambhira village, connecting Anand and Vadodara districts, catastrophically collapsed on July 9. The incident saw several vehicles plunge into the Mahisagar river. As of Sunday, the death toll stood at 20, with search operations continuing for one missing person. The old bridge near Gambhira village was a vital artery, linking central Gujarat with the Saurashtra region.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday granted administrative approval to the Roads and Buildings Department for the construction of this new bridge near Mujpur, which will re-establish the crucial connection between Vadodara and Anand districts.

The government has set an ambitious target to complete the new structure within 18 months, and the tendering process has already been initiated, according to an official release. A detailed project report was recently prepared by the R&B Department following a comprehensive survey.

"Following the unfortunate collapse of the existing bridge, which disrupted connectivity between central Gujarat and Saurashtra and posed challenges for local commuters and students, the chief minister swiftly approved this new project," the release stated, emphasizing the urgency and importance of the undertaking.

R&B Department's Superintending Engineer NV Rathva elaborated on the project details, stating that the existing two-lane Mujpur approach road will be expanded to four lanes and widened to seven meters. Additionally, a 4.2 km stretch from the highway to the bridge will also be expanded to four lanes. "The chief minister has approved administrative sanction of ₹212 crore for these works," Rathva confirmed.

Meanwhile, rescue teams continue their operations in the Mahisagar river, utilizing rubber boats and specialized equipment to trace the missing individual and salvage the wreckage of vehicles involved in the collapse.