On Thursday, the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis told the assembly that 42 people remain missing in the Mahad bridge collapse tragedy.
He also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh compensation for each of five deceased who died in the accident.
Nearly 40 hours after launching a massive search, five bodies have been recovered from Savitri river, where at least 42 other people travelling in two buses are missing, following the collapse of a bridge on Mumbai-Goa Highway near Mahad, about 170 km from Mumbai.
About 20 boats with nearly 160 personnel of Coast Guard, NDRF, and Navy, apart from local fishermen and rafters, are at the work to find the remains of the two buses and other vehicles, which are also suspected to have been swept away.
The local administration has set up a help centre for the kin of the victims.
A 300 kg magnet was lowered on Thursday morning into the Savitri River to trace the missing people.
The passengers onboard were travelling in a private Chevrolet Tavera when an old bridge over the Savitri river on the Mumbai-Goa highway collapsed in the wee hours of Tuesday night. Over ten vehicles were also washed away after the bridge collapsed. The death toll now stands at four.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who conducted an aerial survey of the area, announced at Mahad on Wednesday that the government will carry out a safety audit of all old bridges in the state.
Navy divers have resumed operations this morning, a Defence spokesperson said, adding that Chetak helicopter of Coast Guard also began sortie of the affected area on Thursday.
The 300 kg magnet has attracted something and efforts are underway to pull it out of the river, a local official said.
Also Read: Mumbai-Goa Highway Bridge Collapse: 4 Dead, Over 30 Missing
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena on Thursday questioned the logic behind giving the all-clear certificate for the bridge three months ago.
“On what basis was the traffic worthiness certificate for the British-era bridge given in May,” an editorial in Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ asked. All British-era bridges should now make way for new bridges. Only then can it be said that we have learnt our lesson, it said.
(With PTI inputs.)
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