Vadodara: Ten days have passed since the tragic collapse of the Gambhira bridge between Vadodara and Anand on July 9, which sent three trucks and several other vehicles plunging into the Mahisagar river, claiming 21 lives. Among the many pictures that surfaced on the internet, several showed a tanker that did not tumble but was left hanging precariously on the broken bridge. Even after ten days, the authorities have failed to remove this tanker, leaving the driver and owner in trouble as their livelihood hangs from the broken bridge.

Recounting the horrors of that day, the tanker driver, Ravindra Kumar, told the media that he had emptied his tanker in Ahmedabad and was headed to Dahej to refill. “There was some traffic on the bridge, so I was moving slowly. Suddenly, while a tanker was approaching from the opposite direction and a car was moving in front of me, the bridge collapsed beneath us in just two seconds,” he said.

Ravindra said he jumped out of the vehicle and managed to climb back onto a stable section of the bridge, where he was shocked to see many vehicles, with around 20–25 people, falling into the river. Notably, as Ravindra was an eyewitness, he was taken to the police station to provide details of the incident.

As per reports, the tanker belongs to Ankleshwar-based Shivam Roadlines, a company that has been operating for over 12 years. Speaking to reporters, company owner Ramashankar Indrabahadur Pal said the vehicle remains dangerously stuck on the broken bridge even after ten days. Pal explained how they have been running from office to office, as Anand officials say the responsibility lies with Vadodara authorities and vice versa.

Pal added that initially, officials had assured him the vehicle would be recovered soon, but now, even after the completion of all rescue work, the truck is still stuck at the edge of the broken slab.

Even though removing the truck is risky as the remaining bridge is also in dilapidated condition, it is noteworthy that the Vadodara district collector, during the rescue operation, had stated in a media briefing on July 11 that the truck had been stabilized and would be removed once the rescue work was over.

Meanwhile, the owner struggles under a loan of about ₹45 lakh on this vehicle, with a monthly EMI of around ₹1 lakh. Pal emphasized that his family’s livelihood depends on recovering the truck. “Luckily, my driver survived, but if the vehicle stays stuck until a new bridge is built, how can I repay the bank? We have submitted an appeal to the Collector and are hoping to meet him on Monday,” he said.