Pune Indrayani River Bridge Collapse News Highlights: The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) on Monday said that rescue operations at the Kundamala bridge collapse site have ended, as all missing persons have been accounted for. Four people are confirmed dead and two bodies have been recovered from the spot, officials said Sunday. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the bridge has been declared dangerous by the district collector, and warning boards had been put up at the site.
PM Modi speaks to Fadnavis Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reached Cyprus, spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the incident. While expressing grief over the loss of lives, PM Modi assured all possible assistance in relief measures. The collapsed bridge was frequently used by tourists to cross the river or stop for photographs. Authorities believe the structure may have given way under the weight of the weekend crowd. In response to the scale of the incident, both NDRF teams and Pimpri-Chinchwad police officials have been mobilised.
Collector had issued prohibitory orders: Earlier this month, Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi had issued prohibitory orders restricting tourists from approaching water bodies and certain natural sites, citing safety concerns due to the intensified monsoon. The incident occurred near Kund Mala in Talegaon, a popular tourist destination located about 30 km from Pune, known for its natural sinkholes, gorges, and unique rock formations.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the iron pedestrian bridge on the Indrayani River in Pune that collapsed, killing four persons, had been declared dangerous by the district collector, and warning boards had been put up at the site.
Talking to reporters at an event in Palghar, Fadnavis said the contract for a new bridge at the site in Maval tehsil had been awarded, and work has begun. - PTI
The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) on Monday said that rescue operations at the Kundamala bridge collapse site have been called off, as all missing persons have been accounted for.
Soon after its collapse, confusion reigned supreme about who was responsible for the upkeep of the bridge on the Indrayani river at Kundamala near Talegaon Dabhade, which was over three decades old.
Minister of Water Resources Girish Mahajan Sunday admitted that while tenders to build a new bridge were passed, the work was delayed due to the rain.
“The bridge was built in 1992, and recently a tender of Rs 7-8 crore was cleared to build a new bridge but the execution was delayed due to rain,” he said.
Chandrakant Wagmare, additional chief executive officer of Pune Zilla Parishad, admitted they were not clear about who was responsible for the upkeep of the bridge.
The Maharashtra government on Sunday announced ex gratia payment of Rs 5 lakhs for the deceased in the Kundamala bridge collapse. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also announced that the state government would pay for the treatment of the injured.
On Sunday afternoon a 30-year-old bridge over the Indrayani river near Talegaon Dabhade collapsed, which resulted in the death of four people and injuries to many more. The bridge, local residents had said, was in dire need of repairs.
Soon after the incident, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar issued a statement promising strict action against those responsible for the bridge collapse. “We will investigate the reason for the collapse and stringent action will be taken against them,” he said. Pawar also assured of all help to the injured.
The bridge that collapsed on the Indrayani river at Kundemala in Talegaon Dabhade, leading to the death of at least four people, had a warning board saying it was “unfit for travel” at its entrance.
Local residents 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.
Prateek Pawar from Somatane village, located 5 km away, told The Indian Express, at the site of the accident, “A huge number of tourists are here on the weekend. The board is ignored by everybody. On weekends, there is a queue to get on the bridge from both sides. The sides of the road leading up to the bridge are filled with parked vehicles, showing how many people turn up here. This is a very famous selfie spot. They ignore the warning posted by the sarpanch.” Read Full Report
Little did 46-year-old Chitralekha Anil Kumar and her 22 -year-old daughter Latika from Lullanagar know that a Sunday outing would turn out to be such a nightmare. The iron bridge over the Indrayani river near Kundamala, Pune, collapsed and several tourists who had gathered to watch monsoon rain were swept away.
Chitralekha Kumar has been admitted to the intensive care unit at the 203-bed multi-speciality Pawana hospital after she suffered a fracture of the tibia (shinbone) and humerus (upper arm bone) while daughter Latika has suffered minor abrasions on the knee and was treated at the OPD.
“The treatment will involve surgery , but the patient is stable,” Dr Madhuli Bagle, medical administrator at the hospital, told The Indian Express. There are two patients in the ICU , one in the ward and one treated at the OPD. Amol, 35, suffered a head injury and was admitted to the ward.
Twenty-eight year old Shamika Mane from Chinchwad has been admitted to the ICU and has suffered fractures in the ankle. “She will also require surgery,” Dr Bagle said, adding that she was also stable. Both her husband and son died in the accident. Read Full Report
Little did 46-year-old Chitralekha Anil Kumar and her 22-year-old daughter Latika from Lullanagar know that a Sunday outing would turn out to be such a nightmare. The iron bridge over the Indrayani river near Kundamala, Pune collapsed, and several tourists who were standing there were swept away.
Chitralekha Kumar has been admitted to the intensive care unit at the 203-bed Pawana hospital after she suffered a fracture of the tibia (shinbone) and humerus (upper arm bone), while her daughter Latika has suffered minor abrasions on the knee and was treated on an OPD basis. "The treatment will involve surgery, but the patient is stable," Dr. Madhuli Bagle, Medical Administrator at the hospital, told The Indian Express. There are two patients in the ICU, one in the ward, and one treated on an OPD basis.
Twenty-eight-year-old Shamika Mane from Chinchwad has been admitted to the ICU and has suffered fractures in the ankle. "She will also require surgery," Dr. Bagle said, adding that she was also stable. Thirty-five-year-old Amol has suffered a head injury and is being treated at the hospital's ward.
Earlier, the 108 control room dispatched 7 ambulances to the spot, and according to the authorities, they reached within 20 minutes. The teams were able to treat 25 persons who were injured, according to Preeyank Jawale and Rohit Dhomse, who coordinated the ambulance teams.
"Due to the narrow road, the ambulance staff started on-scene care for patients who were accessible for treatment," doctors with Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services said. Once the patients were brought to the triage area, they were taken to the nearest hospitals, including Talegaon General Hospital and Atharva hospital, while others went by their own private vehicles. Dr. Mashmoom Wagu, a doctor with the 108 team, said that she was at the site of the incident and, with the NDRF team, went in a boat and provided on-scene care and started administering treatment.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and enquired about the situation on the ground following the collapse of the bridge. Shah said teams posted nearby quickly joined the rescue operation.
"Deeply saddened by the tragic incident of the bridge collapse on the Indrayani River in Talegaon, Pune. "Spoke with Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis and inquired about the present situation on the ground. NDRF teams posted nearby quickly rushed to the site, joined the rescue operation, and saved several lives with remarkable promptness," the home minister said in a post on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reached Cyprus, spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the incident. While expressing grief over the loss of lives, PM Modi assured all possible assistance in relief measures.
CMO Maharashtra's post on X read in Marathi, "After his arrival in Cyprus, Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and inquired about the bridge collapse in Pune district and expressed deep grief over the incident. He assured the state government of all possible assistance in the relief efforts."
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge expressed condolences over the loss of lives in the bridge collapse in Pune and wished speedy recovery of those inured. The Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha also said such preventable disasters demand meaningful questions be asked of those in power.
In a post on X, Kharge said, "The bridge collapse over the Indrayani River near Talegaon, Indori in Pune district is a deeply distressing and an avoidable tragedy. My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the victims, and I am praying for the swift recovery and well-being of the tourists swept away by the river current.
I salute the tireless dedication of the rescue teams who are working around the clock to locate and save those affected. I also wish a speedy and complete recovery to the several injured people in this devastating incident. Even as we mourn this profound loss, it's crucial that we seek accountability. Such preventable disasters demand meaningful questions be asked of those in power. It is imperative that all individuals found responsible for this tragedy are held to account under the full force of the law."
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday said the iron bridge over the Indrayani river was rusted and prima facie it gave way as several people were standing on the structure, killing two individuals.
Pawar added, "We have received various versions of the incident. As per the preliminary information, the bridge was old and rusted. Many people were standing on the bridge when it collapsed". He said a plan for constructing a new bridge over the river was sanctioned.
With PTI inputs
Satish Gade, a resident of Vagdaon Maval, told The Indian Express that local politicians should have ensured proper maintenance of the bridge, and lives could have been saved otherwise. Gade added that the bridge was built around 1991 when Madan Bafna served as MLA.
Partha Biswas reports
NCP MP Supriya Sule termed the incident unfortunate and urged tourists to avoid risky adventures. Meanwhile, rescue operation is ongoing near the Indrayani River and so far 38 people have been saved.
The incident occurred near Kund Mala in Talegaon, a popular tourist destination located about 30 km from Pune, known for its natural sinkholes, gorges, and unique rock formations. The area draws large crowds due to its proximity to both Pune and Mumbai.
Promising the best medical care and assistance to those affected by the collapse of the bridge over the Indrayani River, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said action would be taken against those responsible for the incident. Pawar said an inquiry would be initiated into the incident and appropriate action would be taken. He also added that district authorities and the NDRF team have been deployed for the rescue operation.
So far, 38 people have been rescued from the spot, NDRF said.
As many as two people are feared dead and over 32 are injured after a bridge over the Indrayani river near Talegaon Dabhade in Pune collapsed on Sunday afternoon, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.
A while ago, Pimpri Chinchwad police said 10-15 people are feared to be trapped in the incident, with five to six people already being rescued.
District disaster management official Vitthal Banhote, who confirmed the incident, said National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel have reached the spot for the rescue operation. Rescue boats and vans of the fire department are also pressed into the service, according to police.
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A bridge over Indrayani river has collapsed Sunday afternoon and several people are feared to have drowned. Rescue operation is underway.
Stay tuned here for latest updates on the bridge collapse.
