Ahmedabad’s historic Subhash Bridge over the Sabarmati River will be completely demolished and reconstructed after experts found significant structural deterioration in its pillars, prompting civic authorities to abandon an earlier repair and rehabilitation plan.
The announcement was made by the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC), which has accepted recommendations from a panel of bridge experts following a detailed structural assessment of the decades-old bridge.
The bridge was initially closed in December 2025 for urgent maintenance work. Subsequently, in March 2026, civic authorities approved a ₹236-crore project to rehabilitate the structure, with plans to replace the existing superstructure with a steel composite girder system while strengthening the foundations. The contract was awarded to D R Agarwal Infracon, and the work was expected to be completed within nine months.
However, during the course of inspections, engineers detected major cracks in the bridge’s pillars, triggering fresh concerns over the structure’s safety and long-term stability. A team of experts was tasked with carrying out a comprehensive evaluation of the bridge.
According to the assessment report, the bridge piers have been in service for nearly 53 years and have reached a stage where their structural integrity can no longer be considered reliable. Experts concluded that repairing the existing substructure would not be a viable long-term solution.
Based on these findings, the expert committee unanimously recommended the complete removal of the existing piers and substructure and the construction of a new bridge in their place. AMC has accepted the recommendation and decided to proceed with a full-scale reconstruction project.
The decision is expected to significantly increase both the cost and duration of the project. While the earlier rehabilitation plan was estimated at ₹236 crore and scheduled for completion within nine months, the construction of an entirely new bridge will require a revised budget and a longer execution timeline.
Municipal authorities have initiated detailed technical studies to determine the project’s design specifications, cost estimates, construction schedule, lifecycle requirements and other engineering parameters.
Officials said the decision has been taken in the interest of public safety and will help ensure a durable and reliable transport link while supporting Ahmedabad’s long-term traffic and infrastructure needs.