25 Pune Bridges Declared Unsafe After PWD Audit; Major Repairs Begin Across District, Tulapur Bridge Closed to Heavy Vehicles
25 Pune Bridges Declared Unsafe After PWD Audit; Major Repairs Begin Across District, Tulapur Bridge Closed to Heavy Vehicles
PUNE — In a concerning revelation about the state of ageing infrastructure, 25 bridges across Pune district have been flagged for urgent repairs following a comprehensive structural safety audit conducted by the Public Works Department (PWD). The audit uncovered varying degrees of deterioration, with several bridges found to be in a potentially hazardous condition.
Authorities have confirmed that the repair planning is already underway and necessary approvals from the state government have been secured. Some repair work has already commenced. “We’ve submitted the audit findings to the relevant authorities and have been cleared to proceed,” said a senior PWD official.
The Pune district houses 830 bridges in total — 115 large and 715 small. A focused audit in 2024 examined 31 selected bridges. Alarmingly, nine bridges in Junnar tehsil were found to be in critical condition, demanding immediate reinforcement to prevent structural failure.
Additionally, 16 other bridges across various areas were identified for minor repairs, including structures in:
- Bhigwan
- Indapur
- Shirur
- Baramati
- Daund
One of the most serious concerns emerged at Tulapur, where a major bridge over the Indrayani River on State Highway 116 was deemed unsafe for heavy vehicles. The PWD has urged the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to impose immediate restrictions on heavy traffic across the bridge to avoid any accidents.
According to PWD protocol, all district bridges undergo biannual inspections — once before the monsoon (April–May) and once after (October–November). If a bridge shows signs of stress or damage, it is sent for a detailed structural audit. Depending on the results, the bridge may require full demolition, major strengthening, or general maintenance.
Bappa Bahir, Superintending Engineer at the PWD, noted that while many minor repair tasks have already been completed, some critical projects — particularly in Junnar — are currently stalled due to funding constraints. “As soon as funds are released, we’ll resume work on the remaining high-priority repairs,” he said.
The audits themselves are thorough, involving both destructive and non-destructive testing techniques to evaluate concrete durability, load-bearing capacity, and overall structural integrity. These methods help assess both visible and hidden weaknesses within the bridge systems.
With the monsoon underway, the urgency of timely intervention cannot be overstated, especially for bridges already under stress. The PWD has reiterated its commitment to restoring safety and preventing any mishaps due to compromised infrastructure.
