MUMBAI-GOA HIGHWAY BRIDGE COLLAPSE: 2 DEAD, 44 MISSING

An old bridge connecting to the Mumbai-Goa highway collapsed and was washed away by the Savitri river.
An old bridge connecting to the Mumbai-Goa highway collapsed and was washed away by the Savitri river.

MUMBAI (TIP): A British era bridge on the Mumbai-Goa National Highway collapsed in the wee hours of August3 due to excessive rains in the Konkan region in Maharashtra.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis also arrived at the bridge collapse site to review the relief and rescue work.

The rescuers have recovered two dead bodies from the overflowing Savitri river and a massive search is on for others who are missing, Raigad Collector Sheetal Ugale had confirmed.

At least 44 people, two buses and several other vehicles went missing near Mahad city after the bridge, more than seven decades old and a critical link to the Mumbai-Goa National Highway, crashed around 1 am due to the flood waters rushing into the river.

Two state transport buses with 11 passengers each are also missing and there was no contact with either their drivers or the passengers, Raigad Collector Sheetal Ugale said.

Since the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation buses, which started from Mumbai, did not arrive at their scheduled Mahad depot, Ugale appealed people to get in touch with the concerned authorities about their missing relatives. Locals said that around five to six private vehicles were also missing and they were feared to be washed away in the floods.

The ICG has meanwhile pressed Chetak Helicopters into search operations for tracing missing vehicles. Sea king 42C all weather aircraft with diving team has also been pressed into service by the Indian Navy. A massive search operation have been initiated, Ugale confirmed

“The bridge was built during the British era. After discussion with the National Highways Authority, we have shifted traffic to the new parallel bridge nearby. We are trying to confirm reports of other missing vehicles,” Ugale said.

Source: Zee News