Vadodara: The vital Vadodara–Anand link, disrupted after the Gambhira bridge collapse that claimed 22 lives, is set to reopen for two-wheelers and pedestrians from April 2.

Restoration, completed after extensive repairs and trial runs, marks a rare case of a severely damaged bridge being reinstated using high-precision engineering.

Work is expected to be completed by March 31, with trial testing on April 1. Limited public use is likely to begin the next day.

The structure over the Mahisagar River has been revived using a steel girder system instead of demolition—a solution rarely implemented at this scale after a fatal collapse.

A 47-metre, 100-tonne steel girder was installed using incremental launching, advancing at 250 mm every three minutes. The process was completed within 75 days.

The Roads and Buildings (R&B) department has laid a four-inch concrete surface to enable movement. Initially, the bridge will open for two-wheelers and pedestrians, benefiting an estimated 5,000–7,000 daily commuters.

Since the collapse, commuters between Vadodara and Anand have been forced to take detours of up to 50 km, disrupting daily travel for workers, students, and businesses. DeshGujarat