Two buses and several other vehicles reportedly went missing on Wednesday, as a major bridge on the Mumbai-Goa Highway collapsed on Wednesday due to torrential rainfall. The bridge linked Mahad and Poladpur in the Konkan region.
The bridge over the Savitri river collapsed at 2 am. The number of casualties has not been ascertained and rescue operations are being carried out. The two state buses that have been missing were carrying 18 passengers, two drivers, and two conductors. One of the buses was traveling from Jaigarh to Mumbai and the other was traveling from Rajapur to Borivali. A dozen of other vehicles are also feared to have flown away with heavy current in the water.
NDRF team along with District Administration officials have been rushed to the spot for carrying out the rescue operations.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis tweeted that he had spoken to the Raigad Superintendent of Police and Collector regarding the mishap. He said, that there were two parallel bridges. One is a new bridge and the other one was constructed during the British era. It is the old one that collapsed due to the heavy pressure of water from the flooding Savitri river. One way traffic has resumed on the new bridge since Wednesday morning.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised Mr. Fadnavis all sort help in the rescue operation.
