Pune, June 16 (IANS) The Pune district administration in its preliminary report submitted to the Maharashtra government has confirmed four deaths and 51 others injured after a 33-year-old iron bridge connecting nearby villages over the Indrayani river collapsed on Sunday.

The incident took place around 3:30 p.m. when about 125 tourists had gathered at the Kundmala in Maval tehsil of Pune district for a monsoon outing.

Of the four deceased victims, three have been identified while one is yet to be identified.

The injured are being treated in various hospitals.

A total of 55 people were rescued, of which four persons died.

The names of the deceased include Chandrakant Sathale, Rohit Mane, Vihan Mane (identified) while one is still unidentified.

Due to continuous rains the relief and rescue, which was stopped on Sunday night, is being continued on Monday morning.

The Maharashtra Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan was supervising the relief and rescue operation in the presence of local administration accompanied by two teams of NDRF, Pimpri- Chinchwad police, CRPF personnel and various social and non-government organisations.

Minister Mahajan visited the Talegaon General Hospital, where the injured are undergoing the treatment and inquired about their health.

“The government will provide Rs 5 lakh to the relatives of the deceased and the entire cost of the treatment of the injured will be borne by the government.”

He appealed to the tourists to take due care visiting tourist places and also not to indulge in adventure tourism or hooliganism.

The State Minister for Rehabilitation Makarand Patil, who along with the Maval legislator Sunil Shelke, after visiting the spot said, “The bridge was more than 30-year-old and it was constructed by the Pune Zilla Parishad. The administration had displayed boards at both sides urging people not to use it, but it was used by some who had come on a rainy day to enjoy. It is unfortunate that the incident occurred. The administration is engaged in rescue and relief works. The state disaster management Minister Girish Mahajan, who had been at the spot, has already announced that the state government will pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to the heirs of the families of the deceased.”

According to the Pune district administration the work on Kundamala bridge began in 1990 and it was thrown open for use in 1993.

However, the administration observed in 2023 that the bridge was in dilapidated conditions after its use for nearly 30 years and prohibited the people not to use it further.

The administration has proposed a construction of a new bridge at the cost of Rs 8 crore.

The Public Works Department has issued a tender and issued a work order as the work is proposed to start after the rains.

–IANS

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