Pune bridge collapse: Eyewitnesses say they were in ‘panic situation, ran away down', share how they got saved | Watch

While recalling the scenes from an old bridge collapse over the Indrayani River near Talegaon in Pune on Sunday which killed four and injured 51, eyewitness Swapnil Kollam said they were in “panic situation and ran away down” when they saw the part of the bridge broken where over 50 people were there.

‘I almost fell into it’

“There were more than 150-200 people on the bridge but at the place where the bridge collapsed, there were more than 50 people. Five to six bikes were there. There was a jam. My brother pulled down two people outside. We were into panic situation as the other part of the bridge was broken. We ran away down. It is God's grace that my family is safe,” Swapnil said. Nikhil, seemingly shaken, shared, “I almost fell into it. I didn'take the support. One of my legs was behind. The front part fell down, so I ended up on top — that's how I was saved. It is Lord Ram's grace that we are safe. Today is the rebirth of me and my family.”

What did injured people say?

An injured said, "There was a huge crowd on the bridge. The road was jammed due to vehicles coming from both sides... The crowd gathered at one place and the bridge collapsed... People standing in the middle of the bridge were swept away... We fell on the stones and got injured..."

“While I was on the bridge, I felt it was moving, and by the time I could say this to my sister, the bridge fell. I have suffered a fracture. We are getting good medical treatment here,” Sunil Kumar, another injured, stated.

The crowded footbridge, holding over 150-200 people, partially collapsed, sending dozens plunging into the water. According to District Collector Jitendra Dudi, the incident took place at 3:15 pm, and rescue teams were alerted by 3:30 pm. Seven victims were shifted to the ICU at Atharva Hospital, where six were declared out of danger, while one remained in critical but stable condition.

"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. A team of about 250 people immediately came here. The rescue operation started, and so far we have rescued about 38 people." Dudi confirmed that search operations were ongoing, as two people were still unaccounted for," Dudi said.

He added, “We had issued advisories and warnings to all the places which are dangerous for tourists, and this was one such place, but unfortunately, the number of tourists increased a lot... Going forward, we will form a team and investigate the incident and if the administration is found guilty, I will ensure that action is taken against them as well.”

Maharashtra Minister of Relief and Rehabilitation, Makarand Patil, and District Collector Jitendra Dudi visited the civil hospital and met the injured.

NCP-SCP MLA Rohit Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey react

Calling the tragedy “very unfortunate”, NCP-SCP MLA Rohit Pawar said, “The bridge was quite old and there used to be discussions about its renovation, but unfortunately, it could not be done.” He pointed out that many bridges in Maharashtra, some from the colonial era, are in a deteriorated state and urgently need repairs.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey slammed the administration and asked, “Why did the authority not put up barricades when the bridge was weak? Why was the security of the tourists not tightened...? All the higher authorities responsible for this bridge's maintenance should be arrested and punished.”

Dubey also alleged that a fund of ₹8 crore had been approved for the bridge but was never utilised. "Looking at the poor conditions of Pune, people can't even travel as tourists?... This matter is straightaway a case of murder," he mentioned, seeking a statewide audit of all old bridges, including deployment of security personnel at tourist spots.

By late night, the collapsed portion of the bridge was cleared from the river, marking the end of the search and rescue efforts. Meanwhile, an investigation into the cause of the collapse is underway.