Ahmedabad: A viral video has triggered an uproar amid the ongoing closure of the decades-old Subhash Bridge over the Sabarmati river in the city. In the video, pedestrians are seen using the bridge despite its closure since the evening of December 4, after cracks and ageing related issues were detected.

Traffic movement was initially banned for five days from December 4 and later extended till December 25 as civic authorities carry out extensive technical inspections to determine the structural integrity of the bridge. Following the closure, the Traffic Police, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), and City Police took prompt action and installed barricades at all entry points to restrict movement. However, the viral video shows citizens crossing the barricades and walking across the shut bridge in the morning.

The video has raised concerns and sparked debate over whether the bridge is safe even for pedestrian movement. If the bridge is closed for both vehicular and foot traffic, the visuals highlight issues of public disregard as well as administrative oversight.

AMC had earlier announced a five-day closure of Subhash Bridge starting Thursday evening, December 4, during which preliminary inspections were conducted by multiple engineering teams. With the closure now extended, expert auditors from SVNIT Surat, IIT Mumbai, and IIT Roorkee are carrying out a detailed structural health assessment. Once all these agencies submit their findings, the results will be compiled into a final report.

Based on this consolidated assessment, the state government will take the final decision on whether the bridge can be reopened and what repair or restoration measures will be required. DeshGujarat