Ill-Fated Mahad Bridge Was to Be Pulled Down in December Last Year

So far, 26 bodies have been recovered and 14 are missing and feared dead following the collapse of Mahad bridge.

The view of the collapsed bridge at Mahad from an Indian Navy Sea King helicopter in rescue/relief operations. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@ShivAroor )

The Maharashtra government had planned to dismantle the ill-fated British era bridge across the Savitri river at Mahad, whose collapse over a week ago claimed 26 lives.

The Mahad bridge was supposed to be pulled down last December but it was kept operational due to public demand, state PWD minister Chandrakant Patil said on Wednesday.

So far, 26 bodies have been recovered while nearly 14 are still missing and feared dead following the collapse of the bridge on Mumbai-Goa highway on 2 August.

Rescuers are continuing their efforts, braving high water current and crocodile presence in the river, to trace the missing, even as the anxious relatives vent their anger over the pace of the search operation.

The state cabinet has reduced the waiting period for granting compensation to the kin of the deceased in such incidents to two months, Patil said. If the missing people are not traced within two months, the government will declare them dead.

Patil said there are about 2,300 bridges in the state out of which 100-odd are from the British and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj era.

All these bridges will be inspected twice every year. A three-member committee of experts from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) has commenced its study about the collapsed bridge and the report is expected by the next cabinet meeting due on 23 August. A workshop will be conducted for the PWD engineers for methodology to be used for inspection of the bridges.

Chandrakant Patil, PWD Minister of Maharashtra

Patil said it will have to be decided on whether dilapidated bridges should be repaired or reconstructed.

A bridge division will be created in each administrative division of the state to take care of the bridges.

He said that Maharashtra State Road Development Corpration has given total Rs 14 lakh as compensation for the kin of every deceased travelling in the ST buses and Rs 10 lakh for kin of people on other vehicles involved in the Mahad tragedy.