Officials have commented on the popular tourist bridge that collapsed, saying it ‘beyond exceeded its capacity’ and there had been ‘ignored’ warnings as over 100 people were on it when it gave way
A tragedy unfolded at a popular tourist spot over the weekend when a bridge collapsed, which was said to be holding over 100 people. Since the incident, which saw at least four people tragically die and 51 others injured, officials have commented on the warnings and safety measures of the India bridge that were ‘ignored’.
The horrific incident happened on Sunday when a section of the footbridge over the Indrayani River in western India gave way at 3.30pm local time. The collapse took place in the Kundamala area in Pune district, which has experienced heavy rainfall in recent days, causing the river to flow steadily, as reported by the Press Trust of India. However, they stated there was no rain when the bridge collapsed.
The footbridge, which connects Shelarwadi, near the old Pune-Mumbai highway, with Kanhewadi near Indori, is a favoured viewpoint for visitors in the area at this time of year to take in the scenery. Due to its popularity, at the time of the incident, over 100 people were said to be on the footbridge – exceeding its recommended limit.
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State Minister for Water Resources and Disaster Management, Girish Mahajan, told Times of India: “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.”
Umakant Dalvi, who survived the incident and was present on the bridge at the time, described the scene as so crowded that there was no room for anyone to move. He recalled: “There was no space. It was crowded, and there were some bikes on it. The situation worsened quickly.”
Umakant also noted: “Everyone started running towards the main road as the structure haved and collapsed.”
The bridge, which was built over 30 years ago, was reportedly flagged as unsafe by local authorities. An official also told the Times of India: “The bridge was also being used by two-wheeler riders from nearby villages as a shortcut to reach the main road.”
After the incident, Mahajan took to X, formerly Twitter, with an update. He wrote: “The patients injured in the bridge collapse accident on the Indrayani river at Kundamala in Maval taluka have been admitted to Atharva Hospital in Talegaon for treatment.
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“The Chief Minister met the patients, inquired about their health and reassured them. He also interacted with the doctors treating all the injured patients to ensure that they get the best treatment. The Chief Minister of the state, Shri @Dev_Fadnavis Ji, was given a detailed information about the situation and rescue operations.”
“There is a signboard warning people against standing on the bridge, but it seems everyone ignored it,” Mahajan added.
India’s infrastructure has long been plagued by safety issues, occasionally resulting in major disasters on its highways and bridges. In 2022, a century-old cable suspension bridge in the western state of Gujarat tragically collapsed into a river, causing hundreds to fall into the water and claiming at least 132 lives, marking one of the country’s most devastating accidents in the past decade.