The collapse of a bridge over the Indrayani River near Kundmala village in Pune’s Mawal tehsil on Sunday afternoon led to casualties and injuries, once again raising serious concerns about ageing infrastructure across Maharashtra.
Attention has now shifted to Nagpur’s 125-year-old Ajni railway bridge, which remains in daily use despite its dangerously deteriorated state. Built in 1900 during the British era, the bridge was officially declared past its lifespan nearly two decades ago by the original British construction company. However, it continues to carry thousands of vehicles every day, including heavy trucks and container carriers, accelerating its wear and tear.
According to a local daily report, the surface of the Ajni bridge has become increasingly dangerous, with frequent accidents involving two-wheelers and regular collisions due to the lack of proper dividers.
Over the years, authorities have tried various temporary fixes from pipe dividers and green netting to cement blocks. Height barriers were also placed at both ends to stop heavy vehicles. But these measures have proved ineffective. Trucks often damage or bypass the barriers. One end of the bridge now has no barrier at all, and the other is only partially blocked, allowing heavy vehicles to pass through especially at night putting further stress on the already fragile structure.
With no major repairs planned and the alternative cable-stayed bridge still nowhere near completion, Ajni bridge continues to pose a serious risk. If a tragedy were to happen, it wouldn’t be an accident it would be the result of long-standing administrative neglect.
In April 2023, work began on a new 200-metre-long, six-lane cable-stayed bridge meant to replace the ageing Ajni bridge. The ₹333-crore project required the demolition of 25–30 shops in Ajni Colony and was originally scheduled for completion by the end of 2024. However, as of June 2025, there is little visible progress neither the pylon pillar has been built, nor the girder installed. At the current pace, completing the bridge within the next two years seems highly unlikely.
Infrastructure safety concerns are not new to Central Railway. Back on November 27, 2022, a portion of the foot overbridge at Ballarshah railway station collapsed, claiming the life of one woman and injuring seven others. Yet, despite that tragedy, both Central Railway and Maharail appear to have taken little meaningful action to address the risks posed by other ageing structures, including the Ajni bridge.
Satish Yadav, a member of the Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee (ZRUCC) of Central Railway, has expressed serious concern over the ongoing use of the deteriorating Ajni bridge. He criticised the sluggish progress on the construction of the replacement bridge and warned that a tragedy similar to the recent Maval collapse could occur in Nagpur as well. Yadav’s statement raises pressing questions about accountability and the urgency of infrastructure safety.
Past Warnings Ignored: Ajni Bridge Repair Orders Date Back Years
Back in September 2023, during the UPA regime, then Minister of State for Railways Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury visited Nagpur and inspected the Ajni bridge. Disturbed by its deteriorated condition, he ordered immediate repairs. Although minor fixes were carried out, the bridge has continued to remain operational despite having long exceeded its safe service life highlighting a long-standing neglect of safety warnings.
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