PUNE, 15 June 2025 — A tragic incident unfolded near Kundmala, Pune district, when a 30-year-old iron-footbridge over the Indrayani River suddenly collapsed around 3:30 pm. The aged structure, originally built for farmers in the early 1990s, buckled under the weight of over 100 people and several two-wheelers, killing four individuals—including a father and his six-year-old son—and injuring more than 50, many seriously.
Locals had repeatedly sounded alarm bells, pointing out cracks, rust, and warning signs, but repairs were slow to materialise. A work order for a new bridge was issued just five days before the collapse, yet it remained incomplete. Eyewitnesses described the bridge trembling for minutes before giving way, with tourists and local villagers tumbling into the swollen river in the aftermath of recent heavy rains.
Emergency Response and Investigation
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local fire brigades, and police launched immediate rescue operations. Around 55 people were rescued, and operations concluded once all missing persons were accounted for. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announced ₹5 lakh in compensation for each deceased family and assured full treatment costs for the injured. Prime Minister Modi also reached out, offering central assistance.
Duty, however, remains a hot topic. Critics, including Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, have fiercely condemned government negligence and the absence of timely structural audits. Questions are being raised over the role of local political figures in delaying decisive action.
Bottom line: This disaster has exposed a failure of infrastructure oversight, where warnings fell on deaf ears. The misplaced delay in issuing the work order coupled with ignored hazard signs converted a picturesque spot into a scene of tragedy. A formal probe is underway.
