Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has issued his first official response following the tragic bridge collapse over the Indrayani River in the Kundamala area of Maval taluka, Pune district. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon and has claimed six lives so far, with rescue operations still underway.
The old iron bridge on the banks of the Indrayani River collapsed while around 100 tourists had gathered in the area for a monsoon outing. Approximately 20 to 25 people are feared to have been swept away due to the sudden surge in river flow caused by heavy rainfall over the past three to four days. So far, 38 people have been rescued, and 18 of them were injured.
Addressing the media, Devendra Fadnavis stated,
"I have spoken to the Tehsildar regarding the incident. The injured have been admitted to the hospital for treatment. An NDRF team is on-site and actively engaged in the rescue operation. There is still hope that more lives can be saved. At this moment, our full attention is on rescue efforts and providing strength to the affected families."
He further assured that the administration is taking the situation seriously and monitoring it closely. The government has already announced ₹5 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and has committed to providing free medical treatment for the injured. The tragic incident has sparked widespread concern over the safety of aging infrastructure, especially during the monsoon. Fadnavis emphasized that preventive measures and structural assessments of similar bridges across the state would be prioritized in the coming weeks.