Valsad under-construction bridge collapse: Four Workers Injured, One Missing After Girder Falls Into Auranga River

Valsad under-construction bridge collapse has raised serious safety concerns after a large girder suddenly gave way during ongoing construction work over the Auranga River on Friday morning. The incident, reported around 9 AM on Kailash Road in Valsad district, left four labourers seriously injured, while one worker is still missing and feared trapped under the rubble.

According to preliminary details, the bridge slab was being prepared between the last two pillars when the supporting scaffolding unexpectedly collapsed. Workers were placing iron reinforcements when one pillar reportedly shifted, causing the entire section to fall into the riverbed. Bharat Details learned from local officials that the force of the fall brought down scaffolding, rods, and partially built slabs, leaving little time for the labourers working below to escape.

Emergency teams from the Valsad Fire Department and local police arrived on-site within minutes. Four injured workers were rescued and immediately taken to the hospital. Doctors have confirmed their condition as serious but stable. However, one labourer remains unaccounted for, and a coordinated search effort by firefighters and police is ongoing.

Local sarpanch Bholabhai Patel of Pardi-Sandhpore gram panchayat stated that the accident happened just as reinforcement materials were being positioned between the final two pillars. He said a vertical shift in the structure may have triggered the collapse, though a detailed engineering review will be required to confirm the exact cause.

Midway through the investigation, it was revealed that nearly 105 workers were present at the site during construction, but most were positioned away from the collapse zone.

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Valsad Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Vimal Patel confirmed that the girder was damaged during construction activity, which led to the collapse. “Rescue teams responded immediately, and all on-site workers have been accounted for except one. We are assessing the structural failure and checking whether safety protocols were followed,” he said.

Authorities have now halted all work on the bridge pending a technical probe. Engineers and district officials will examine the scaffolding strength, pillar alignment, material quality, and contractor compliance with government construction guidelines. The collapse has raised concerns among local residents, many of whom frequently travel along Kailash Road and were hopeful that the new bridge would ease traffic during peak hours.

For now, the focus remains on locating the missing worker and securing the weakened structure to prevent further incidents. Officials have assured that construction will resume only after the site is declared completely safe and corrective measures are implemented.

As Valsad awaits answers, the incident has highlighted the need for strict monitoring and rigorous safety standards at large infrastructure sites. Authorities are expected to release an initial inquiry report soon, and Bharat Details will provide updates as more information becomes available.