The Maharashtra government on Sunday announced ex gratia payment of Rs 5 lakhs for the deceased in the Kundamala bridge collapse. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also announced that the state government would pay for the treatment of the injured.
On Sunday afternoon a 30-year-old bridge over the Indrayani river near Talegaon Dabhade collapsed, which resulted in the death of four people and injuries to many more. The bridge, local residents had said, was in dire need of repairs.
Soon after the incident, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar issued a statement promising strict action against those responsible for the bridge collapse. “We will investigate the reason for the collapse and stringent action will be taken against them,” he said. Pawar also assured of all help to the injured.
Calling the incident unfortunate, Baramati MP Supriya Sule urged tourists to avoid risky adventures and obey instructions. Sule was referring to the recent instructions given by the Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi who had issued prohibitory orders asking people to avoid going to tourists spots in large numbers. This order was given in view of the revival of monsoon, during which tourists in large numbers throng to places like Kundamala.
Meanwhile Minister for water resources Girish Mahajan also said, while the district collector had issued prohibitory orders, people did not follow them. “Action will be taken if police presence was not found at the spot,” he said.
Maval’s MP Shirrang Barne in a statement also gave his condolences post the incident. “Just two days before the incident, I had raised the issue of the safety of tourist spots in Maval. The area has many places where tourists throng in large numbers,” he said.
