Panic among public as concrete peels off Rajkot's ₹90 crore Gondal Chowkdi bridge

The construction of the six-lane overbridge at Gondal Chowkdi in Rajkot, built at an estimated cost of ₹90 crore, has once again come under controversy. According to a report by Sandesh, incidents of concrete peeling and debris suddenly falling from the lower section of this 1.2 km long bridge have come to light. This incident caused widespread panic among motorists passing over the bridge, while thousands of people faced difficulties due to traffic jams on the main road.

Serious questions have been raised regarding the strength of this bridge, which was completed in 2023. Previously, cracks as large as 4 inches had appeared in the joints of this bridge and the safety wall had collapsed, forcing the administration to break the joints with a breaker machine for repairs. The administration woke up only after a reality check conducted by Sandesh previously revealed the dilapidated condition of the bridge. Thousands of vehicles pass through Gondal Chowkdi daily, and such recurring incidents pose a constant risk to motorists. Locals are expressing strong suspicions that large-scale corruption took place in this construction.

This overbridge was constructed with the aim of easing the traffic problems of Rajkot city. Within a short period of just 3 years since its inauguration, the flaws in the bridge's construction have been exposed, raising several questions about the administration's work.