Collector had declared Indrayani river bridge as dangerous; locals put up warning boards: Fadnavis

Palghar: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the iron pedestrian bridge on the Indrayani River in Pune that collapsed, killing four persons, had been declared dangerous by the district collector, and warning boards had been put up at the site.

Talking to reporters at an event in Palghar, Fadnavis said the contract for a new bridge at the site in Maval tehsil had been awarded, and work has begun.

Four people died, and 18 were seriously injured when a 32-year-old iron pedestrian bridge over the Indrayani River in Maval tehsil collapsed on Sunday afternoon due to overcrowding by tourists.

He said that the structure had been declared dangerous by the district collector before the incident, and villagers had also placed warning boards.

Tourists might not have been aware of the severity of the bridge’s condition, he said.

The chief minister said that the administration had identified 500 dangerous locations, including bridges and water bodies, across Pune district for the monsoon season.

Police continue search ops

Meanwhile, police on Monday continued the search operation at the site where the bridge collapsed, even as the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) called off its efforts.

“Since all missing persons have been accounted for as per directions of the district administration, the search operation has been closed,” an NDRF official said.