Several tourists are feared drowned after a bridge on a river near Pune collapsed on Sunday afternoon. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said two people have died in the bridge collapse Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have reached the site in Pune, and rescue operation is underway. Locals and police were the first to begin rescue efforts, even before official teams arrived. Thirty-eight people have been rescued so far. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, meanwhile, have said, that “structural audit of all such bridges” will be conducted.
This area is a popular tourist destination and was crowded at the time of the incident. Residents had reportedly raised concerns earlier about the structural safety of the bridge, but many tourists were unaware of the potential danger. The strong flow of water, worsened by the flooding, may have contributed to the collapse.
