Pune, 16 June 2025: A tragic incident unfolded in Pune’s Maval tehsil on Sunday afternoon when a 33-year-old iron bridge over the Indrayani River collapsed under the weight of an overcrowded tourist gathering, leaving four people dead and at least 51 others injured. The Kundmala spot, popular among tourists during the monsoon, turned into a site of chaos and despair as around 125 people, including bikers, were present on the bridge when it gave way at around 3:30 p.m.
The bridge, constructed by the Pune Zilla Parishad and opened in 1993, had long been declared unsafe by the local administration. Boards warning visitors against using the bridge had been installed at both ends. Despite this, thousands of tourists continued to throng the spot every weekend, ignoring the dilapidated condition and official warnings.
According to preliminary reports submitted by the Pune district administration to the Maharashtra government, three of the four deceased victims have been identified as Chandrakant Sathale, Rohit Mane, and Vihan Mane. One victim remains unidentified.
The injured have been admitted to various hospitals including Talegaon General Hospital and Pawana Hospital for treatment. The Maharashtra government has announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh to the families of the deceased and promised to bear the full medical expenses of the injured.
Eyewitness accounts paint a grim picture of negligence and disregard for safety norms. The bridge, which spans 470 feet and is only four feet wide, has a stone slope leading to iron and cement sections. It was structurally incapable of supporting more than a few pedestrians at a time, yet at the time of the collapse, it was crowded with scores of people and at least seven to eight motorcycles. “The bridge shook for about five minutes before it suddenly broke apart,” said Amol, who was on the bridge and narrowly escaped drowning after clinging to a pipe for 15 minutes.
Earlier in the day, local residents had alerted the police control room about the dangerous overcrowding. Three police officers rushed to the spot and managed to disperse the crowd temporarily. However, as soon as they left, tourists flocked back onto the bridge, disregarding the warnings and the risk involved.
Officials and locals have criticized the lack of a structural audit in recent years despite repeated complaints. In 2023, the administration officially barred public use of the bridge due to its deteriorating condition. Villagers had also written letters to the Public Works Department and Gram Panchayat seeking urgent repairs and a ban on tourist movement.
Former MLA Digambardada Bhegde had demanded the construction of a new bridge as far back as 2017, highlighting its critical importance for farmers, students, and workers from surrounding villages.
The surge in visitors to Kundmala, particularly during the monsoon, exacerbated the risk. On weekends, an estimated 8,000 tourists crossed the fragile bridge, far beyond its capacity. Potholes riddled the surface, causing frequent two-wheeler mishaps. Locals attempted temporary fixes by covering holes with cement blocks, but no permanent repairs or safety reinforcements were carried out.
As the bridge collapsed, panic ensued. Many people fell into the swollen Indrayani River, which had risen due to heavy rainfall over the weekend. Locals and rescue teams immediately sprang into action, pulling people from the water. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Pimpri-Chinchwad police, CRPF personnel, and various social and non-governmental organisations joined the rescue efforts, which were hampered by continuous rain and high river currents.
The search operation, which continued late into Sunday night, was halted at 11 p.m. due to poor visibility and resumed early Monday with additional NDRF teams arriving from Raigad.
Maharashtra Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan personally supervised the rescue operation and visited Talegaon General Hospital to meet the injured. He appealed to tourists to exercise caution while visiting scenic spots during the monsoon and warned against adventure activities or ignoring safety advisories. “The government will stand by the affected families and ensure strict action to prevent such tragedies in the future,” Mahajan said.
State Minister for Rehabilitation Makarand Patil and local legislator Sunil Shelke, who also visited the site, reiterated that the administration had clearly marked the bridge unsafe and that people must heed such warnings seriously. Plans for a new bridge costing ₹8 crore have been approved, with tenders floated and work expected to start after the monsoon.
This tragic incident once again underscores the consequences of neglected infrastructure, unchecked tourism, and inadequate enforcement of safety measures. As the region mourns its loss, the urgent need for structural audits, better crowd management, and robust public awareness has become clearer than ever.
