136 bridges in Pune district need urgent repairs; audit of 39 done, says PWD
Pune: As many as 136 bridges under the public works department across Pune district require urgent repairs, while a structural audit of 39 bridges to assess their safety has been completed, officials told TOI on Monday.
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Despite concerns, officials confirmed that no bridge needs to be dismantled. "Structural assessments of 227 bridges are currently under way," a PWD official said.
Last week, collector Jitendra Dudi directed PWD to carry out an audit of all bridges in the district after the sudden collapse of the Kund Mala bridge over the Indrayani river on June 15 raised alarm bells.
Out of the district's 777 bridges — 132 major and 645 minor bridges — five have been deemed unsafe for vehicular movement.
Three major ones have already been closed to heavy vehicles, while two minor bridges have been completely closed for repairs, with restrictions placed to prevent accidents, the official said. "We conducted a pre-monsoon inspection of the bridges. We are going to submit a report to the collector as per his directions."
The district also has 21 heritage bridges dating back to the British era, which continue to be monitored closely.
These have been repaired and there are no issues with these bridges, the report shared by PWD with TOI stated.
From 2016 to 2025, the PWD report said that they repaired 111 bridges, but ongoing assessments highlight the urgent need for further maintenance on many others.
Collector Dudi emphasised the importance of these efforts, assuring that the administration is prioritising safety and infrastructure resilience.
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"The audits and repairs will ensure that Pune's bridges remain safe for public use. We are closely monitoring the condition of all bridges and will take necessary steps to protect commuters," he told TOI.
PWD has urged the public to adhere to closures and restrictions.
In the aftermath of the tragic foot overbridge collapse at Kunda Mala in Maval taluka, Dudi said that any bridge found to be weak or dangerous following a structural audit will be dismantled or cordoned off to prevent future disasters.
"All departments have been directed to carry out a fresh structural audit of old bridges. Those identified as unsafe must be immediately taken out of use," the collector said on Monday. "Though a structural audit was done earlier, a fresh on-ground survey too would have to be undertaken to verify the condition of these structures so that necessary action could be taken."
Chief secretary Sujata Saunik has directed all collectors to conduct an audit of bridges within their jurisdictions.
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Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
136 bridges in Pune district need urgent repairs; audit of 39 done, says PWD
Pune: As many as 136 bridges under the public works department across Pune district require urgent repairs, while a structural audit of 39 bridges to assess their safety has been completed, officials told TOI on Monday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Despite concerns, officials confirmed that no bridge needs to be dismantled. "Structural assessments of 227 bridges are currently under way," a PWD official said. Last week, collector Jitendra Dudi directed PWD to carry out an audit of all bridges in the district after the sudden collapse of the Kund Mala bridge over the Indrayani river on June 15 raised alarm bells. Out of the district's 777 bridges — 132 major and 645 minor bridges — five have been deemed unsafe for vehicular movement. Three major ones have already been closed to heavy vehicles, while two minor bridges have been completely closed for repairs, with restrictions placed to prevent accidents, the official said. "We conducted a pre-monsoon inspection of the bridges. We are going to submit a report to the collector as per his directions." The district also has 21 heritage bridges dating back to the British era, which continue to be monitored closely. These have been repaired and there are no issues with these bridges, the report shared by PWD with TOI stated. From 2016 to 2025, the PWD report said that they repaired 111 bridges, but ongoing assessments highlight the urgent need for further maintenance on many others. Collector Dudi emphasised the importance of these efforts, assuring that the administration is prioritising safety and infrastructure resilience. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The audits and repairs will ensure that Pune's bridges remain safe for public use. We are closely monitoring the condition of all bridges and will take necessary steps to protect commuters," he told TOI. PWD has urged the public to adhere to closures and restrictions. In the aftermath of the tragic foot overbridge collapse at Kunda Mala in Maval taluka, Dudi said that any bridge found to be weak or dangerous following a structural audit will be dismantled or cordoned off to prevent future disasters. "All departments have been directed to carry out a fresh structural audit of old bridges. Those identified as unsafe must be immediately taken out of use," the collector said on Monday. "Though a structural audit was done earlier, a fresh on-ground survey too would have to be undertaken to verify the condition of these structures so that necessary action could be taken." Chief secretary Sujata Saunik has directed all collectors to conduct an audit of bridges within their jurisdictions.
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