‘Rebirth’: Eyewitness Recounts Terrifying Moment Pune Bridge Collapsed

‘Rebirth’: A tragic incident took place on Sunday afternoon at Kundamala, a well-known riverside spot near Talegaon in Pune district, where a decades-old footbridge came crashing down into the Indrayani River.

The iron bridge, which had been standing for years, was packed with hundreds of visitors at the time. Many were flung into the river below, swollen and fast-flowing after a weekend of heavy rain.

The incident left four people dead and 51 injured, with many survivors recounting moments of panic, fear and sheer disbelief.

Swapnil Kollam, an eyewitness, said, "There were more than 150-200 people on the bridge, but at the place where the bridge collapsed, there were more than 50 people. It is God's grace that my family is safe."

Another eyewitness, Nikhil Kollam, who stood trembling on the riverbank, described the collapse as a moment of divine intervention.

"It is Lord Ram's grace that we are safe. Today is the rebirth of me and my family," he said, visibly shaken.

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District Collector Jitendra Dudi confirmed the grim toll. “A total of 51 people are injured and admitted to different hospitals, taking treatment, and four individuals have died. Three were identified as Chandrakant Salve, Rohit Mane, and Vihaan Mane, and one was male but unidentified.” Search and rescue operations continued late into the evening.

Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said ₹8 crore were sanctioned in 2024 to rebuild the bridge, which was in a dilapidated condition. "Either the minister signed this letter in his sleep, or the public is being fooled," Raut added in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Responding to this, Maharashtra Minister of Water Resources Girish Mahajan admitted that while a tender to build a new bridge was passed, the work was delayed due to the rain. “The bridge was built in 1992, and recently, a tender of ₹7–8 crore was cleared to build a new bridge, but the execution was delayed due to rain,” he said.

On the other hand, Chandrakant Wagmare, Additional Chief Executive Officer, Pune Zilla Parishad, said they were not clear about who was responsible for the upkeep of the bridge. “It is still not clear as to who had the responsibility, as this fell under the Cantonment area. But action will be taken,” Wagmare said.

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About 38 people have been rescued so far, and two remain unaccounted for as search operations continue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently in Cyprus, spoke with Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to take stock of the situation. Fadnavis expressed deep sorrow and said he is in constant contact with senior officials overseeing the rescue and relief.

“NDRF is deployed, and all concerned agencies are on alert. Relief work is in full swing,” Fadnavis said in a statement.

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