Indrayani river bridge collapse: Ex-minister seeks probe into delay in construction of new structure

Collapsed Pune bridge. Pic/Filepic

Following the Pune bridge collapse tragedy, former Maharashtra minister Ravindra Chavan on Tuesday demanded a probe into why the construction of a new bridge over the Indrayani River in Pune did not commence, despite Rs 8 crore being sanctioned for it last year.

The BJP leader's remarks came two days after four persons died and 18 were injured in the collapse of a 35-year-old bridge on the Indrayani River in Pune's Maval tehsil.

As reported by PTI, the Pune bridge that collapsed on Sunday afternoon in the Kundamala area was built in 1993 and was not fit for use. People who gathered there ignored warning signboards, and more than 100 persons got onto the structure, officials earlier said.

While speaking to reporters at the BJP headquarters, Maharashtra minister Chavan said that when he was the Public Works Department (PWD) minister during the previous Mahayuti government, he sanctioned about Rs 8 crore in October 2024 for the construction of a new bridge at the same site, as the existing one was old and unsafe.
He also added, "Today, I spoke to PWD minister Shivendraraje Bhosale and other officials, requesting them to conduct a probe into this accident."

"Issues like why the bridge construction work was not undertaken will be probed. If any official is found responsible for deliberate delay, action will be taken," he said.

On Monday, the Pune Collector Jitendra Dudi also said the tender for a new bridge to come up in place of the one that eventually collapsed was floated some months back, while the work order was issued a week ago.
It takes 15 days to start the work from the date of the work order, so construction will begin shortly, he added.

Pune-based social activist Vijay Kumbhar, however, claimed the date on the work order was written by hand and not typed like the rest of the text.

"A committee will be formed to probe lapses, if any, on the part of the local administration and to check if standard operating procedures should have been implemented. The incident occurred despite warning signs and an existing order banning large gatherings in the area," he said.

Maharashtra Minister of Disaster Management Girish Mahajan earlier said the bridge collapsed under the weight of a large number of tourists. "The bridge was meant for pedestrians only, and there was a warning board stating that it cannot be used by two-wheelers. It seems people on the bridge did not heed these instructions, which caused the incident."

(With PTI Inputs)