A major tragedy was narrowly averted after a portion of a bridge on the Indrayani in Pune’s Maval taluk caved in early on Monday.
While no casualties have been officially reported thus far, local police are verifying whether any two-wheeler had been washed away following the cave-in.
According to authorities, the bridge connected Maval township with the Talegaon Dabhade industrial area and is sited in Ambi village, around 42 km from Pune city.
A stretch of the bridge, which is nearly 50 years old, collapsed between 5.30 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Monday.
According to reports, the bridge collapsed just after a vehicle carrying labourers to work in the Talegaon Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) had crossed it.
Locals rushed to the spot and shut down traffic from both ends of the bridge, warning commuters not to use the damaged structure.
Shut for heavy vehicles
Hitherto closed for heavy vehicles, thousands of pedestrians as well as two-wheeler riders have been using this bridge.
According to an official from the Talegaon MIDC police, heavy vehicles had been banned from using the bridge for the past couple of years. Yet, the directive was flagrantly violated.
“The bridge had been shut down for heavy vehicles for some time now. Now it appears that some persons had removed the barricades in place and that heavy vehicles were still plying despite being expressly forbidden to do so. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported,” said Pune District Collector Nawal Kishore Ram.
Mr. Ram further said that he had a sought a full report from the Talegaon police on this matter.
