At least four people died and 51 were injured after a narrow iron bridge collapsed over the Indrayani River near Kundmala village in Pune on Sunday afternoon. Following the bridge collapse, the ruling Mahayuti government and the district administration have come under fire for their inability to respond effectively to the opposition's questions.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said ₹8 crore were sanctioned in 2024 to rebuild the bridge, which was in a dilapidated condition. "Either the minister signed this letter in his sleep, or the public is being fooled," Raut added in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Responding to this, Maharashtra Minister of Water Resources Girish Mahajan admitted that while a tender to build a new bridge was passed, the work was delayed due to the rain. “The bridge was built in 1992, and recently, a tender of ₹7–8 crore was cleared to build a new bridge, but the execution was delayed due to rain,” he said.
On the other hand, Chandrakant Wagmare, Additional Chief Executive Officer, Pune Zilla Parishad, said they were not clear about who was responsible for the upkeep of the bridge. “It is still not clear as to who had the responsibility, as this fell under the Cantonment area. But action will be taken,” Wagmare said.
Warnings Ignored:
According to the Pune district administration, the work on the Kundmala bridge began in 1990, and it was thrown open for use in 1993. However, the administration observed in 2023 that the bridge was in a dilapidated condition and prohibited people from using it.
Reportedly, the bridge had a warning board saying it was “unfit for travel” at its entrance. Locals say that the bridge was declared unfit over two years ago, but tourists regularly ignored the warning and continued to rush to the spot on weekends. They added that two-wheelers regularly plyed on the bridge despite it being only for pedestrians.
Mahajan, who was at the site monitoring rescue efforts, said the bridge collapsed under the weight of a large number of tourists. "The bridge was meant only for pedestrians, and there was a warning board there stating that it cannot be used by two-wheelers. It seems people on the bridge did not pay heed to these instructions, which caused the incident," Mahajan said.
Pune Collector Jitendra Dudi said that 100 persons were present there, with most busy taking selfies. "A committee will be formed to probe lapses, if any, on the part of the local administration, and secondly to check if standard operating procedures should have been implemented. The incident occurred despite warning signs and an existing order banning large gatherings in the area," he added.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who is also Pune's Guardian Minister, said the bridge was rusted and prima facie it gave way as several people were standing on the structure. "Preliminary information indicates that the condition of this bridge was dilapidated. Therefore, instructions have been issued to the administration to conduct a thorough investigation into this accident, and I assure that if any negligence is found regarding maintenance, strict action will be taken against those responsible," he said.
Survivors Recall Fall from Bridge
Amol Ghule, a survivor, speaking to HT, recalled that there was a huge crowd which had gathered at one place on the bridge, leading to its collapse. "A large number of tourists were present on the bridge at the time of the incident. The bridge was broken in the middle and collapsed. Somehow, I managed to save myself and get out of the water. Then my friend came to rescue me and brought me to the hospital," he said.
Mahesh Mane, another injured person, claimed that at least eight to nine vehicles were also present on the bridge. “Initially, a loud sound was heard. Within a second, the bridge collapsed into the river. Somehow, I grabbed part of the structure and saved myself by hanging onto it. But I saw three people were swept away in the river water.”
Eyewitnesses Recall Tragedy
Swapnil Kollam, one of the eyewitnesses, said, "There were more than 150–200 people on the bridge but at the place where the bridge collapsed, there were more than 50 people... It is God's grace that my family is safe."
Another eyewitness, Nikhil Kollam, described the collapse as a moment of divine intervention. "It is Lord Ram's grace that we are safe. Today is the rebirth of me and my family," he said, visibly shaken.
‘Not the first time’
Kundmala is a popular monsoon spot for Punekars. On weekends, a huge number of revellers flock to the location, clicking photos and videos, while ignoring safety warnings.
Balasaheb Shelar, a local resident, said this wasn't the first time that people have died here. “A few people die at this location every year. They slip either while taking selfies or making videos of the water after getting down in the riverbed," he told Indian Express. "People just don’t listen to the government or even the police. There is a board installed at the beginning of the bridge as well as a couple of boards around the area, but they are completely ignored," he added.
