Roop Nagar: Woman killed as ‘unsafe’ bridge collapses

New Delhi: A 60-foot iron bridge over a drain in north Delhi’s Roop Nagar area collapsed on Tuesday morning, killing a woman and narrowly averting a larger tragedy, officials and residents said.

Police said the bridge, which connected Gur Mandi to Roop Nagar, had earlier been declared unsafe and closed for public movement with barricades in place. Despite this, it continued to be used regularly by locals due to the lack of a convenient alternative route.

A PCR call regarding the collapse was received at around 9.28 am, following which police and emergency teams rushed to the spot. The structure had fallen into the drain below. Rescue personnel later recovered the body of a woman, believed to be around 50 years old, who was reportedly sitting near one end of the bridge at the time. Police said efforts are underway to ascertain her identity.

Personnel from the Delhi Fire Service, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Delhi Police carried out coordinated rescue operations. Multiple fire tenders were deployed, and the area was cordoned off. An NDRF official said the drain had a strong current and divers were being readied, but a team from the Delhi Boat Club retrieved the body before they could be deployed.

Officials said the bridge fell under the irrigation and flood control department and had been declared unsafe earlier.

Residents said the timing of the collapse likely prevented a far more serious incident. The bridge serves as a key link for at least four nearby government schools, and hundreds of students cross it every morning between 7 am and 8.30 am.

“Most students had already crossed by the time it collapsed. Had it been earlier, the consequences could have been very deadly,” a local resident said.

Locals and students said warnings were often ignored as the bridge reduced travel time by nearly 30 minutes and shortened the distance by about a kilometre. Many described the structure as visibly unsafe.

“It used to wobble when we stood on it. A portion had sunk and tilted, and the railing mesh was broken,” said Zoya, a Class 8 student.

Residents have demanded the immediate construction of a safer alternative route. Authorities said a detailed inspection will be carried out to determine the exact cause of the collapse, and further action will follow.