What caused Pune bridge collapse, killing 4
What's the story
A nearly 30-year-old narrow bridge over the Indrayani River near Talegaon in Maharashtra's Pune district collapsed on Sunday, killing four people and injuring over 50 others.
The bridge, which is just four feet wide, was reportedly overcrowded with seven to eight bikes and a huge crowd of around 100 people when the incident occurred.
Let us look at the factors that could have led to the tragic incident.
Structural issues
Bridge was so narrow that only 1 bike could pass
The 470-foot-long bridge comprises a stone slope of around 70-80 feet, two iron sections each 100 feet long, and a cement section measuring 200 feet.
Locals had placed cement blocks on the bridge to temporarily cover potholes, which were causing two-wheelers to collide.
The bridge was so narrow—4ft—that only one motorcycle and two people could cross it at a time.
Neglect and overcrowding
Bridge repairs ignored; locals had demanded ban on tourists' movement
Despite being a popular picnic spot, the bridge had not been repaired in years.
Locals had written to the Public Works Department and Gram Panchayat two years ago demanding repairs and a ban on tourists' movement, but their pleas were ignored.
Last year, BJP MLA and minister Ravindra Chavan had sanctioned ₹80,000 for repairs.
Every weekend, around 8,000 people would pass through the dilapidated bridge even though it didn't have the capacity to handle such crowds.
Incident details
Hours before collapse, crowd on bridge was dispersed
Hours before the collapse, a resident had called the police control room about overcrowding on the bridge.
Three officials reached the spot and dispersed the crowd. However, as soon as they left, people returned, leading to the collapse.
Witnesses said the iron bridge shook for five minutes before collapsing under tourists' weight and two-wheelers.
Aftermath
CM updates PM, Amit Shah; minister announces compensation
Maharashtra Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan, who was present at the scene, said a probe has been ordered into the lack of police presence.
He also announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh for the deceased's kin.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and PM Narendra Modi expressed their grief and were updated by CM Devendra Fadnavis on the relief work.