A tragedy in the making? Cracks on Gujarat bridge spook locals, motorists
India Today
Cracks on a bridge on the Bhavnagar-Somnath National Highway have raised safety concerns for motorists and local residents in Gujarat's Amreli district.
Cracks on a bridge on the Bhavnagar-Somnath National Highway have raised safety concerns for motorists and residents in Gujarat's Amreli district. The bridge has developed cracks that are five–six inches wide and 40-50 metres long. However, people's repeated complaints to the authorities have fallen on deaf ears.
BJP leader and former Rajula MLA Ambarish Der has urged officials to take strict action against the contractor. "The government should give the contractor an ultimatum and take strict action against such negligent contractors," he added.
The cracks on the bridge, which was approved in 2014 and inaugurated in 2024, have brought back memories of Vadodara's Gambhira bridge collapse among the locals. The Gambhira bridge collapse in Vadodara killed 22 people and injured many. The collapse was attributed to structural failures caused by heavy usage and inadequate maintenance.
The Bhavnagar-Somnath stretch of the National Highway, which is officially designated as NH-51, connects Bhavnagar to Dwarka via Somnath. Not a stranger to bridge collapses, the 250-kilometre stretch of the National Highway previously saw a bridge near Dudhala village in Amreli district collapse within days of its opening.
In 2023, cement girders on an under-construction bridge near Datradi village in Amreli collapsed.
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