Pune bridge collapse: Was the iron structure too dilapidated to handle holiday rush?

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.

So far, four people have been confirmed dead and more than 50 others injured in the collapse.

Rescue teams are still on site, searching for at least three missing individuals, including a child, who are feared to be trapped under the debris.

So, what led to the collapse? What went wrong, and could it have been prevented? Here’s a closer look at the key factors behind the disaster.

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‘The structure shook for 5 minutes’

The narrow footbridge, which had around 150 to 200 people on it, gave way at approximately 3:15 PM. A section of the crowded structure suddenly snapped, sending people tumbling into the swift waters of the Indrayani River and triggering chaos and panic.

According to officials who spoke to NDTV, a local resident had alerted the police control room just hours before the incident, warning about the overcrowding. Responding to the call, three police officers reached the spot and managed to temporarily disperse the crowd.

However, as soon as the police left, people began gathering again—leading to a situation that quickly spiralled out of control.

Eyewitnesses reported that the iron bridge visibly trembled for nearly five minutes before collapsing under the combined weight of the crowd and several two-wheelers.

Amol, who was on the bridge at the time, described the terrifying moment. “I struggled for 15 minutes in the water and finally held a pipe and came out,” he told NDTV. Screams echoed in the air as locals rushed to help, launching rescue efforts even before authorities arrived.

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Four dead, 18 injured as Pune bridge collapses; crowd ignored warnings, say officials

Another eyewitness, Nikhil Kollam, who was standing nearby, recounted the ordeal to the Hindustan Times. “It is Lord Ram’s grace that we are safe. Today is the rebirth of me and my family,” he said, still visibly shaken.

District Collector Jitendra Dudi, speaking to ANI, confirmed, “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.”

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), along with the local police and fire services, are continuing the search for those still missing. PM Narendra Modi, who is currently in Cyprus, also dialled CM Devendra Fadnavis regarding the incident.

What caused the Pune bridge collapse?

While investigations are still underway, early assessments point to multiple factors that likely led to the collapse, chief among them, overloading and an ageing structure never meant for heavy foot traffic.

NCP MLA Sunil Shelke explained that the bridge, built nearly 30 years ago, was originally intended only for local farmers to cross the river, not for large crowds or vehicles.

“This bridge was constructed for the movement of farmers 30 years ago. But due to the excessive load of tourists and two-wheelers, this bridge collapsed,” he told ANI.

The iron bridge stretched 470 feet and was just four feet wide, barely enough to allow one bike and a couple of pedestrians to pass at the same time.

However, on Sunday afternoon, the structure was overwhelmed. According to officials, not only were over 100 people, mostly tourists, crowded onto the bridge, but there were also around seven to eight two-wheelers trying to cross—all at once. That kind of weight and movement proved too much for the old and narrow structure to handle.

“People had their scooters and motorcycles parked on the bridge. Nobody paid heed to danger signs,” a witness told NDTV.

Villagers demanded bridge repair, authorities neglected request

While overcrowding was a key factor, local residents say the real problem lies in years of neglect and inaction by authorities.

According to a report by NDTV, no structural audit had been carried out on the bridge in recent years, despite villagers repeatedly urging the authorities to assess and repair it. Two years ago, locals had written to the Public Works Department and the Gram Panchayat, asking for the bridge to be fixed and for tourist entry to be restricted. However, no action was taken.

More recently, BJP MLA and minister Ravindra Chavan sanctioned Rs 80,000 for repair work, but the funds were never put to use.

NCP-SCP MLA Rohit Pawar also said the bridge was “quite old and there used to be discussions about its renovation.”

“But unfortunately, it could not be done. There are many such bridges that are old, some date back to 100 years, from the colonial era, in entire Maharashtra and their situation is also dilapidated…,” he added.

In the wake of the tragedy, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde promised action. “This accident will be thoroughly investigated, and action will be taken against those responsible. No one will be spared,” he said, adding that structural audits will now be conducted on all river bridges across the state.

CM Devendra Fadnavis also announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for the families of those who died, and assured that the government would cover medical expenses for the injured.

With input from agencies