Pune bridge collapse: New construction order issued just five days before tragedy

A demand for a new bridge was officially made back in 2017 by local BJP MLA Digambar Bhegade. Despite several inspections and surveys, it took until 2024 to approve a budget of Rs 8 crore for the new bridge.

The collapse of a 30-year-old footbridge over the Indrayani river in a Pune village, which killed four people, occurred just five days after a work order for a new bridge was issued, according to a report by NDTV.

The bridge was originally built to help farmers cross the river. Over the years, however, it became a popular tourist spot and selfie point. Although it was only designed to carry four to five people at a time, on Sunday afternoon (June 15, 2025), it was packed with dozens of visitors and even two-wheelers. Around 3 pm, the structure gave way under the weight, plunging many into the river. While some were rescued in time, four people lost their lives, the report said.

A demand for a new bridge was officially made back in 2017 by local BJP MLA Digambar Bhegade. Despite several inspections and surveys, it took until 2024 to approve a budget of Rs 8 crore for the new bridge. But even then, the final work order wasn’t issued until June 10, just five days before the collapse.

Ravindra Bhegade, a BJP leader from the area, blamed the delay on officials. "The process could have been faster. It took a lot of time. We were serious, but the officials were not serious. Also, this is a military area, there are always restrictions here,” NDTV quoted Bhegade as saying.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar acknowledged the tragedy and said he had asked the district collector for an update on the situation. He confirmed that Rs 8 crore had been approved for the bridge and that a detailed report was awaited.

Meanwhile, opposition leaders have criticised the government for the bridge collapse. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut questioned if Ajit Pawar, who is also Pune’s guardian minister, would accept responsibility. “Over 100 people fell into the river, and many were swept away. The money had already been sanctioned, but work didn’t start due to a funds shortage. Who will take responsibility?” Raut was quoted by NDTV as saying.

Pune Collector Jitendra Dudi stated that the bridge had already been marked as unsafe. He said warning signs had been put up and that there was a ban on large gatherings in the area, Hindustan Times reported.

“The incident occurred despite warning signs and an existing order banning large gatherings in the area,” he told HT.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which was involved in rescue operations, called off the search on Monday. An official told HT that all missing persons had been accounted for based on information from the district administration.