Incident details: After the collapse of the Gambhira bridge connecting Anand and Vadodara in Gujarat, where 20 people died, the state government finally became concerned about the safety of bridges. Before the accident, the state Road and Building Department was fast asleep, but now the department has sprung into action. Out of the total 364 bridges in the municipal corporation areas of Gujarat, 231 are said to be in satisfactory condition, but 39 bridges are in such a dilapidated condition that they can collapse at any time. Three in Ahmedabad, the highest number in Surat (26), 2 in Vadodara, 3 in Junagadh, 2 in Jamnagar, and 2 in Navsari are in a dangerous condition. The government has admitted that these bridges can cause accidents at any time. After the Gambhira accident, the government closed 97 dangerous bridges for vehicular traffic, but before that these bridges were a warning to the public. Public problems and diversions: The decision to close traffic on these dangerous bridges is causing severe hardship to the locals. Students are finding it difficult to get to and from school, while the diversion of heavy goods vehicles is affecting the business of traders. A local resident wrote on X: “The Gambhira bridge accident opened the government’s eyes, but now our livelihood is being affected due to diversion. The government should have taken this step earlier.” Government measures: After the Gambhira accident, the state Road and Building Department has started inspecting all bridges. The engineers and officers of the department have now become active, who were completely negligent in the matter earlier. The government claimed that it is taking immediate steps to open the closed bridges and repair the dangerous bridges. However, the public says that if this vigilance had been shown earlier, precious lives could have been saved. Social and administrative implications: The incident exposes the dilapidated infrastructure of Gujarat and the negligence of government institutions. The Gambhira bridge accident brings to light a reality that if the government had acted on time, precious human lives could have been saved. Experts say that a permanent system is needed for regular inspection and repair of bridges. An expert said: “The condition of Gujarat’s bridges is like a time bomb. If not dealt with in time, If action is not taken, more tragedies are inevitable.” Conclusion: The Gambhira bridge accident is a lesson for Gujarat. This incident reminds us that the price of government negligence and delay is paid in human lives. 39 bridges are in a dangerous condition, and closing 97 to traffic is a temporary solution. The government should not only immediately repair the bridges but also formulate a policy that can prevent such tragedies in the future. As one X user wrote: “Gujarat’s bridges are the lifeline of the people, but if they themselves become a threat, who can we trust?” This incident not only exposes the flaws of the government system but also makes every citizen think about how important timely action is for safety. Source: The Hindu: Indian Express: Times of India: X Posts: