The key 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 work, completed after extensive repairs and trial runs, marks a rare instance of a severely damaged bridge being reinstated using high-precision engineering.
The work is expected to be completed by March 31, followed by trial testing on April 1, with limited public use likely to begin the next day.
The bridge over the Mahisagar River has been revived using a steel girder system instead of demolition, a solution rarely adopted at this scale after a fatal collapse.
A 47-metre, 100-tonne steel girder was installed using incremental launching, progressing at 250 mm every three minutes. The entire process was completed within 75 days.
The Roads and Buildings (R&B) department has laid a four-inch concrete surface to facilitate movement. Initially, the bridge will be opened for two-wheelers and pedestrians, benefiting an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 commuters daily.
Since the collapse, commuters travelling between Vadodara and Anand have been forced to take detours of up to 50 km, severely affecting daily travel for workers, students and businesses.