Anand (Gujarat) [India], August 5 (ANI): Authorities on Tuesday launched a rescue operation to retrieve a truck stuck on the Gambhira bridge in Gujarat's Anand district, weeks after the bridge collapsed on July 9, claiming over twenty lives.

Anand Collector Praveen Chaudhary said the operation posed significant challenges due to the complex engineering and safety aspects involved.

Speaking to ANI, Chaudhary said, 'It was difficult to rescue the truck...Complex engineering and safety aspects were involved...Now the entire truck rescue operation is being carried out by the Vishwakarma Group of Porbandar... The team will use the main hydraulic stand jack and four pulling trucks...'.

He further stated that the setup to rescue the truck is almost complete, and authorities are prioritising safety and ensuring no lapses occur in the process.

'A team of 50-60 people from the Vishwakarma group from Porbandar are working. Their priority is safety, as the operation has to be done from 900 meters away. It is expected that the truck will be rescued in the coming 2-3 days', the Collector added.

Earlier, on July 26, Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, visited Anand to meet the families of the victims who lost their lives in the bridge collapse.

Meanwhile, following the Gambhira bridge tragedy, the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) initiated a comprehensive inspection of all bridges under its jurisdiction as a precautionary measure.

A section of the Gambhira bridge, which connects Vadodara and Anand, collapsed into the Mahisagar river on July 9, killing 20 and injuring several others.

Following the incident, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel ordered a high-level inquiry into the recent bridge collapse incident. (ANI)