Authorities are organising rescue operations at the site of a bridge collapse near Pune. -AP
At least two people have died and a number were swept away after a bridge over the Indrayani river in the western Indian city of Pune collapsed, Maharashtra state chief minister Devendra Fadnavis says.
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"Some people got swept away, so a search operation is underway on a war footing to find them," he said on social media platform X, adding six people have been rescued while 32 were injured, including six in critical condition.
He said the National Disaster Response Force is deployed on-site, and other agencies have been directed to remain on high alert.
The incident occurred in Kundamala area in Pune district, which has been the scene of heavy rains over the past few days, giving the river a steady flow, Press Trust of India reported.
It was not raining when the bridge collapsed in an area frequented by picnickers, the news agency reported.
Police said teams of the National Disaster Response Force and other search and recovery units have undertaken rescue operations, PTI reported.
India's infrastructure has long been marred by safety concerns, sometimes leading to major disasters on its highways and bridges.
In 2022, a century-old cable suspension bridge collapsed into a river in the western state of Gujarat, sending hundreds plunging into the water and killing at least 132 in one of the worst accidents in the country in the past decade.
