Bridge Collapse Causes Major Accident on Indrayani river in Pune; 30 tourists swept away, 6 dead
Pune (The Uttam Hindu): A major accident took place on Sunday in Kundmala area of Maval taluka in Pune district of Maharashtra. An old bridge built on the Indrayani river suddenly collapsed, due to which 25 to 30 tourists present on the bridge were swept away in the strong current of the river. So far 6 people have been confirmed dead in this incident, while many others are feared to be missing. It is also feared that some people may be buried under the debris of the bridge.
Kundmala, located near Talegaon Dabhade town, is a popular tourist destination. According to information, due to heavy rains, the flow of water in the river had increased and tourists had climbed the bridge to see the flow. Eyewitnesses said that the bridge was in a dilapidated condition and it was closed two-three days ago for security reasons. However, no policeman was present on the bridge at the time of the incident, due to which people easily climbed the bridge.
As soon as the incident was reported, local police, villagers and disaster relief teams reached the spot and rescue operations were started immediately. Despite the strong current of the river, relief workers have so far rescued 6 to 7 people safely, who have been admitted to the local hospital for treatment. Sadly, 6 people lost their lives in this accident. Search and rescue operations for the missing people are still going on.
Local people have blamed the administration's negligence for this incident. They say that despite knowing the dilapidated condition of the bridge, adequate security arrangements were not made. People also alleged that it took a long time for relief and rescue operations to begin after the incident.