In a tragic incident on Sunday, a 30-year-old narrow bridge over the Indrayani River near Talegaon in Pune district, Maharashtra, collapsed, leading to the deaths of four people and injuries to more than 50. The incident occurred around 12:30 PM when over a hundred tourists had crowded the bridge despite visible warning signs.
The rescue operation, which lasted nearly 15 hours, concluded by Monday morning, with 55 people rescued from the river. Of the four deceased, three have been identified. Many of those on the bridge at the time were swept away by the river, which had swelled due to continuous rainfall over the weekend.
The bridge, which was originally meant to carry only pedestrians and light local traffic, had turned into a major access point for thousands of tourists visiting the Kundmala area. Authorities stated that the structure simply could not bear the weight of the crowd and multiple two-wheelers.
Bridge Structure and the Collapse
The 470-foot-long bridge had a unique build starting with a 70-80 feet stone slope, followed by two 100-foot iron sections, and a final 200-foot cement section. However, the structure’s width was barely four feet, only wide enough for one bike and two pedestrians at a time.
Despite its design limitations, officials confirmed that at the time of collapse, the bridge held seven to eight bikes and over 100 people, significantly exceeding its safe limit. A warning board nearby was ignored by the crowd. Eyewitnesses reported that the iron section of the bridge trembled for about five minutes before giving in.
Ignored Warnings and Administrative Neglect
What is particularly shocking is that the local administration had been warned about the bridge’s deteriorating condition years ago. Locals had sent a letter to the Gram Panchayat and the Public Works Department two years ago, asking for repairs and a ban on heavy tourist movement across the old bridge.
Despite these efforts, no structural audit was conducted. The situation was worsened by the complete absence of a security mechanism to control crowd movement, even on weekends when the footfall soared to 8,000 visitors. Following repeated requests from villagers, authorities had only recently begun deploying a police officer at the bridge every Saturday but not on Sundays, the very day the collapse happened.
Hours before the disaster, a local resident had reportedly called the police control room, alerting them of the dangerous overcrowding. Although officers responded and temporarily dispersed the crowd, it quickly returned after their departure, setting the stage for the catastrophic failure.
Past Repair Requests and Unused Funds
This tragedy could have been prevented if past warnings had been taken seriously. In 2017, former MLA Digambardada Bhegde had written to the Maharashtra government urging the construction of a new bridge. He highlighted how local villagers students, workers, and farmers depended on the bridge to commute on foot, as vehicles could not pass through it.
Bhegde’s concerns were even raised in Parliament, but his demand for a safe and sturdy structure was never fulfilled.
In a further instance of administrative lapse, BJP MLA and minister Ravindra Chavan sanctioned ₹80,000 for the repair of the bridge last year. However, officials admitted that this money was never used for any repair or maintenance work.
Locals Speak Out: Witness Accounts of the Collapse
Amol, a survivor who was on the bridge during the incident, told NDTV that the structure trembled violently before collapsing. “I struggled for 15 minutes in the water and finally held onto a pipe to come out,” he recalled. Another witness mentioned that scooters and motorcycles had been parked on the bridge, despite signs warning against such activity.
“There was a large crowd. People ignored the danger signs and warnings. The bridge was visibly damaged and even had potholes,” she said. Locals had previously placed cement blocks over the potholes in a temporary fix that clearly failed.
The collapse of the Talegaon bridge has not only exposed critical gaps in infrastructure maintenance but has also raised serious questions about accountability and governance in Maharashtra. An aging bridge, repeated warnings, sanctioned but unused funds, and ignored safety advisories all contributed to a disaster that could have been prevented.
As rescue efforts end and victims are mourned, attention now turns to the Maharashtra government and local authorities for answers and accountability. The demand for a permanent, safe replacement structure is likely to intensify in the coming days as pressure mounts from both the public and opposition leaders.
