GG News Bureau
Pune, 15th June: Two tourists have died and several others are feared to have drowned after a bridge over the Indrayani river in Pune collapsed on Sunday. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed the fatalities, adding that 32 people have sustained injuries, with six in critical condition. Six individuals have been rescued so far.
The incident occurred at Kundmala, a popular tourist destination that attracts large crowds, especially during the monsoon season. Scores of tourists on the bridge at the time of its collapse plunged into the swollen river, with some reportedly swept away by the current.
Police and disaster relief workers, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), quickly arrived at the scene, and rescue operations are ongoing. “As some people have been swept away, a search is being carried out on a war footing. NDRF has been deployed at the spot. The relief work has been immediately accelerated,” Chief Minister Fadnavis posted in Marathi. He later announced an ex-gratia compensation of ₹5 lakh for the families of the deceased, adding that the government would cover the medical expenses for all injured.
Deputy Chief Minister and Guardian Minister of Pune, Ajit Pawar, stated that the bridge was in a poor state. He attributed the collapse to the sheer number of people and two-wheelers on the structure. “A ₹8 crore bridge has been approved there, I have asked the collector for information about the same,” he said. His colleague and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced instructions for structural audits of all bridges across rivers in the state. “This accident will be thoroughly investigated, and action will be taken against those responsible. No one will be spared,” Shinde vowed.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah extended his condolences to the bereaved families. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently in Cyprus, also spoke to Chief Minister Fadnavis and was briefed on the ongoing rescue and relief operations.
Amol, an eyewitness who was on the bridge during the collapse, recounted that the structure had been shaking for five minutes before it gave way. “I struggled for 15 minutes in the water and finally held a pipe and came out. Locals were the first responders in this situation,” he told NDTV. Another eyewitness, Latika, who was at the site with her mother and uncle, estimated that at least 50 people were on the bridge when it collapsed.
The bridge collapse in Pune rural’s Maval area comes as an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rains remains in place for Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, particularly in the ghat regions. The area had experienced significant rainfall in the preceding two days. Residents had reportedly raised concerns about the structural safety of the bridge, which was renovated 4-5 years ago, but many tourists were reportedly unaware of the potential danger.
