Warnings ignored, safety overlooked: How years of neglect and overcrowding sparked disaster - the story behind Pune bridge collapse

Time of India

4 hours ago

PUNE: A narrow iron and concrete footbridge over the Indrayani River near Kund Mala, a popular tourist destination about 40km from Pune, collapsed on Sunday afternoon, killing four people — including a five-year-old boy — and injuring at least 51 others.
One person remains missing.
The incident occurred at around 3.30pm, when the decades-old bridge, already declared unsafe and officially closed to the public, gave way under the weight of more than 100 people and several two-wheelers. Despite a warning signboard, people continued to use the structure, ignoring the risks and prohibitory orders issued by the district administration just a week prior.
Ignored warnings, overcrowding
According to Maharashtra water resources and disaster management minister Girish Mahajan, the bridge was dangerously overcrowded at the time of the collapse.
'A crowd of (100+) people on the bridge at the time of the incident was beyond its carrying capacity, following which it collapsed as a large number of tourists had come here to enjoy their holiday. A signboard telling people not to enter this structure was also installed, but they still went there,' said Mahajan.
Deputy commissioner of police Vishal Gaikwad confirmed the deaths of Chandrakant Sathle, Rohit Mane and 5-year-old Vihan Mane.
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The fourth victim remains unidentified. Three others were critically injured, and eight people were discharged after treatment.
Survivor Umakant Dalvi said, 'There was no space. It was crowded, and there were some bikes on it. The situation worsened quickly.' Several bikes were swept away into the river when the bridge collapsed.
Structural neglect and administrative gaps
The bridge, constructed over 30 years ago by the Public Works Department (PWD), had been handed over to the Pune Zilla Parishad (ZP) for maintenance.
Local authorities, including Indori village's sarpanch, had flagged the bridge as unsafe. A new parallel bridge had already been sanctioned, with Rs 8 crore approved for the project, but construction had not yet begun.
Despite repeated warnings, barricades or physical restrictions to prevent access were reportedly missing. 'The bridge was also being used by two-wheeler riders from nearby villages as a shortcut to reach the main road,' an official said.
Rescue and response
An extensive rescue operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, fire brigade and other emergency teams continued late into the evening. Two bodies were pulled from under the mangled structure using cranes. Search operations for the missing person are set to resume Monday morning, said Pimpri Chinchwad police commissioner Vinoy Kumar Choubey.
District collector Jitendra Dudi announced the formation of a five-member committee to probe the incident.
The panel will examine potential administrative lapses and recommend changes to safety protocols. It is expected to submit its report within 15 days.
'The bridge was not guarded despite clear orders,' minister Mahajan stated, adding he would request the Chief Minister to take action against any police personnel found guilty.
The Maharashtra government has announced Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the families of the deceased, and has promised to cover the medical expenses of the injured.