Vadodara bridge collapsed due to ‘crushing of pedestal, articulation joints’: Minister

Initial reports show that the collapse of the bridge in Gujarat’s Vadodara, which resulted in 19 deaths, occurred due to the crushing of the “pedestal and articulation joints”, PTI quoted state Health Minister Rushikesh Patel as saying on Friday.

He added that Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has suspended four officials of the Roads and Buildings Department for “negligence”.

A pedestal is a concrete element that is used to transfer loads from structures such as columns to the foundation, ensuring even distribution of weight.

An articulation joint is a designed gap in a structure that allows for movement due to factors like foundation settlement, temperature changes or moisture. These joints help prevent cracking and other structural damage by accommodating these movements, rather than resisting them.

Rushikesh Patel said on Friday that the chief minister-appointed committee investigating the collapse was directed to submit a comprehensive report within 30 days.

He added that the search operation was in its final phase, adding that all the vehicles that fell into the river have been retrieved. “The bodies of the deceased have been handed over to their families,” he said.

The collapse of the 43-year-old bridge on Wednesday morning led to at least five vehicles falling into the Mahisagar river. The toll in the incident rose to 19 on Friday, PTI reported. An unidentified official also told the news agency that the search for two missing persons was underway.

The collapse

The accident took place at about 7.30 am on Wednesday when a 10-metre to 15-metre long slab between two piers of the 900-metre Gambhira bridge, connecting Vadodara and Anand districts, collapsed. The bridge was inaugurated in 1985.

The bridge in the Padra taluka was a key connector between Central Gujarat and Saurashtra.

District Collector Anil Dhameliya said that the bridge had been repaired last year.