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"Rescue operation going on in full swing": Maharashtra Minister Makarand Patil
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], June 15 (ANI): Maharashtra Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Makarand Jadhav-Patil on Sunday informed that the rescue teams were working to save people while the injured were rushed to the civil hospital for treatment.
He said the bridge collapsed since many tourists flocked to the same area despite restrictions imposed.
'Till now, injured people have been admitted to the (Civil) hospital... The rescue operation is going on in full swing. NDRF and SDRF have come here for the same, along with volunteering organisations and locals... This bridge was restricted for people and two-wheelers, but since people were excited about monsoon tourism, many tourists flocked to the bridge, and it collapsed,' Patil told ANI.
This comes as at least four people were killed (as per National Disaster Response Force) when a bridge on the Indrayani river collapsed near Kundamala village in Maharashtra's Pune, leaving over 40 people injured, who were rescued by the search and rescue teams.
Of the 40 injured, six people have been critically injured, and some are still feared missing. The search and rescue operations are still ongoing.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced ex-gratia worth Rs 5 lakh for the families of those who were killed in the Pune bridge collapse. The state government will also bear the cost of the medical treatment of the injured.
'CM Devendra Fadnavis has announced that the state government will provide financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the families of those who lost their lives in the bridge collapse incident on the Indrayani river near Talegaon in Pune district. Additionally, the state government will also bear the cost for the medical treatment of the injured,' CMO Maharashtra posted on X.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Devendra Fadnavis to inquire about the ongoing rescue operations after a bridge on the Indrayani river collapsed in Kundamala, which remains a popular tourist attraction in Talegaon Dabhade.
The Prime Minister, currently in Cyprus, was briefed about the ongoing efforts to assist those affected.
Fadnavis expressed deep sorrow over the bridge collapse.
'It was very sad to hear the news of the accident in which a bridge over the Indrayani river collapsed at Indori near Talegaon in Pune district. According to preliminary information, 2 people have died in this incident. I pay my heartfelt tributes to them. We share the grief of their families,' the CM posted on X.
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi offered his 'heartfelt condolences' to the families of the deceased and hoped for the safety of those who still remain missing.
'The news of drowning of many people due to the collapse of the bridge on Indrayani river in Pune is extremely sad. I express my heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and hope for the safety of those who are still missing. There is an appeal to the administration that relief and rescue operations should be carried out with full promptness,' Gandhi posed on X.
The NDRF is conducting search operations for those swept away, and all agencies are on high alert to expedite relief efforts. The injured are receiving medical care at nearby hospitals. (ANI)
