Bridge Collapses During Repairs in Gujarat’s Junagadh, No Casualties

Fast summary

• A section of an old bridge in Ajaj village, Mangrol taluka, Junagadh district (Gujarat), collapsed during repair work on July 15, 2025, plunging construction equipment and workers into the river below.
• No injuries or fatalities were reported in this incident.
• The bridge connected Keshod to Madhavpur and was under maintenance at the time.
• Eyewitnesses reported that a Hitachi excavator and several workers fell into the river when the slab collapsed. They were rescued safely.
• This follows another major incident on July 9, where a four-decade-old bridge over mahisagar River in Vadodara collapsed, resulting in 20 deaths and one person still missing.
• Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel approved ₹212 crore for constructing a new two-lane high-level bridge near Mujpur in Padra taluka to replace the collapsed Mahisagar Bridge. the project is expected to be completed within 18 months.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The back-to-back incidents of bridge collapses raise notable concerns about infrastructure safety and maintenance standards in Gujarat. While it is indeed lucky that no casualties occurred during the repair-related collapse of Ajaj’s bridge, it underscores vulnerabilities inherent even during restoration efforts. Comparing this incident to last week’s fatal Mahisagar collapse highlights stark gaps that must urgently be addressed-not only with robust design standards but also with periodic inspections of existing structures.

The government has acted swiftly by approving funds for new projects like replacing vadodara’s fallen structure; though, confidence-building measures are needed among public stakeholders regarding prevention rather than reactionary measures post-collapse. Ensuring transparency around inspection reports or applying stricter tender criteria could mitigate such recurring tragedies.

Read more: The Hindu