Travel time, financial burden: How Gujarat bridge collapse is impacting livelihood of Gambhira village

The death toll in the Vadodara bridge collapse has risen to 19 as the search for 2 missing people continues. On Wednesday (Jul 9), a portion of the Gambhira bridge gave way, as several vehicles fell into the river below. The incident has led to widespread criticism from the public against the state government. It is alleged that the local authorities were aware of the poor condition of the bridge, which was built in 1985. The bridge collapse has not only claimed the lives of people, but also taken the livelihood of locals, who relied on the bridge to travel to the city.

For the residents of Gambhira village, after which the bridge was named, the bridge has served as a way to travel to work in the factories of Vadodara on the other side of the river Mahi for over 40 years. This route would save the villagers the trouble of having to travel an extra 70 km.

With limited employment opportunities, the majority of locals in Gambhira relied on the bridge to commute to work, mostly in pharma companies. The village has an estimated population of about 13,000.

“Taking a detour will mean travelling 70 km, instead of 10 km, to the factory. Four of our family members, all working with us in the same factory, have not returned home since yesterday, after the bridge collapsed. They are doing two-three shifts. Only when we report for work will they be able to take a break and return home,” local resident Piyush Machhi, 21, told The Indian Express.

“There are many like us who were unable to go to work and relieve their family members working in the same firm,” said Dharmesh Nijama, who works at a pharmaceutical company with Piyush in Vadodara.

“Now with the detour, it would mean an additional financial burden of about Rs 300 every day plus the travel time,” another local resident, Harikrishna Machhi, told The Indian Express. He works at a chemical factory in Karakadi, about 30 km away, for a monthly wage of Rs 25,000.

The locals are also mourning the loss of two villagers, who were on their way to work in the GIDC area, who died in the bridge collapse. “The village is mourning the two deaths, but we are also worried that with limited travel options and poor resources, we have no way to reach our jobs now,” said Laljibhai Amarsinh Padhiar,45, the sarpanch, as cited by the news outlet.