Pune, June 17: Indian authorities on Monday officially ended rescue operations at the site of a bridge collapse in western Maharashtra state after confirming that all missing persons had been accounted for, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said in a statement.
The iron footbridge over the Indrayani river at Kundamala, a tourist hotspot 30 km from Pune, collapsed late Saturday while over 150 people were on it, killing four and injuring 50 others.
“Since all missing persons have been accounted for yesterday late night, as per directions of the district administration, the operations have been closed,” the NDRF said.
Local officials said 18 of the injured required hospital treatment. Maharashtra’s state government has announced compensation of ₹500,000 ($6,000) for the families of the deceased and pledged to cover medical expenses for the injured. District Collector Jitendra Dudi said the NDRF team reached the site within 20 minutes of being alerted.
Authorities said the bridge, which was more than 30 years old and designed for pedestrian use, had been weakened by unauthorized use by two-wheelers. Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan said tenders for constructing a new bridge had been approved but were delayed due to heavy rainfall.
The Indrayani river, swollen by monsoon rains, flows through the Kundamala area, which is popular among tourists for its gorges, whirlpools, and waterfalls. Officials had previously issued warnings advising people to avoid water bodies during the monsoon season.
