"Structure Shook For 5 Minutes": Witnesses Recount Pune Bridge Collapse

An iron bridge near Pune shook for around five minutes before it gave in to the weight of scores of tourists and several two wheelers, witnesses said after the incident left four people dead and over 30 injured.

Amol, who was on the bridge at the time, said screams rang through the air as the rusted structure collapsed, with locals rushing to the spot to initiate rescue operations. "I struggled for 15 minutes in the water and finally held a pipe and came out," he told NDTV.

Latika, who was at the spot frequented by tourists during monsoon season, said at last 50 people were present on the bridge at the time it collapsed. "People had their scooters and motorcycles parked on the bridge. Nobody paid heed to danger signs," she said.

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The bridge in Kundmala collapsed over the Indrayani river, which is in spate after the area received heavy rains over the last two days.

Police and disaster relief workers, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), reached the spot and rescue work is ongoing. Efforts are also on to locate those who are missing after being swept away by the river.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Pune's Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar said the iron bridge was rusted and old, adding that a Rs 8 crore plan for constructing a new bridge over the river was sanctioned.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that Rs 5 lakh compensation for the families of those who lost their lives, adding that the government will bear the expenditure of treatment of the injured.

His colleague and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said instructions have been issued to conduct structural audits on all bridges over the river in the state. "This accident will be thoroughly investigated, and action will be taken against those responsible. No one will be spared," he said.

The bridge collapse in Pune rural's Maval area comes even as an orange alert remains in place for Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, with heavy to very heavy rains expected in the ghat regions. The area had received heavy rains in the last two days.