Mumbai: A day after four people died and 18 persons were injured in a bridge collapse on the Indrayani river in Pune's Maval tehsil, the district administration on Monday decided to dismantle or remove all bridges deemed unfit for use.
The bridge that collapsed on Sunday afternoon in the Kundamala area was built in 1993 and was not fit for use, but people who gathered there ignored warning signboards and more than 100 got onto the structure, officials said.
“We have decided to remove or dismantle such bridges in the district, as putting up barricades, etc does not serve the purpose. Visitors, tourists generally do not pay heed and bypass these barricades and endanger their lives. We have identified such structures in the district, and following a final survey, these structures will be removed once and for all,” Collector Jitendra Dudi said.
Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik has directed the PWD to conduct a structural audit of all bridges across the state. She also instructed that necessary repairs, maintenance, or reconstruction of bridges be undertaken immediately wherever required. The directive comes after DCM Eknath Shinde on Sunday directed Saunik to initiate a structural audit of all bridges in Maharashtra.
Controversy Erupts
Meanwhile, a controversy erupted following the revelation of a letter signed by former Public Works Department (PWD) minister Ravindra Chavan, approving a budget of Rs 80,000 for the bridge's development. The letter, dated July 11, 2024, was reportedly given to a BJP official and has become a focal point in the ongoing debate, inviting strong criticism from the opposition.
The office of PWD Minister Shivendra Raje Bhosale denied the opposition’s allegations. A PWD official clarified that the collapsed bridge was built by the Zilla Parishad and falls under the Rural Development Department’s jurisdiction. The official added that the letter pertains to a different bridge in the same area, not the one that collapsed.
