North Delhi bridge collapse leaves woman dead, raises infra safety concerns
NDRF and multiple agencies launch rescue operations in Roop Nagar; incident highlights recurring infrastructure safety lapses across the capital
A 60-foot iron overbridge over a drain collapsed in north Delhi's Roop Nagar area on Tuesday morning (March 17), killing a woman, an official of the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) said.
The woman, believed to be around 50 and living on the streets, died when the structure collapsed and she fell into the drain below. Rescue teams at the spot retrieved her body. She was declared dead at the scene, the DFS officer said.
NDRF joins rescue efforts
The DFS said it received a call regarding the overbridge collapse around 9.30 am, and multiple fire tenders were rushed to the spot.
Rescue teams, including personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Delhi Police and other emergency agencies, were immediately pressed into service.
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Boat Club rescue teams are carrying out a search operation to determine whether more people fell into the drain after the bridge collapsed.
Authorities have cordoned off the area to prevent further accidents. Officials said the cause of the collapse is yet to be determined, adding that a detailed inspection will be carried out.
Delhi infra safety failures
This incident adds to a troubling string of pit-related deaths reported across Delhi this year, raising serious concerns about gaps in basic safety measures mandated under contract rules and traffic police guidelines for roadwork. It points to a broader pattern of infrastructure lapses rather than isolated accidents.
On February 5, 25-year-old bank telecaller Kamal Dhyani died in west Delhi’s Janakpuri after allegedly falling into a 4-5 metre-deep pit that had been left open and uncovered on a poorly lit stretch of road. A contractor involved in digging the pit for a Delhi Jal Board (DJB) project has since been arrested by the police.
Just days later, a 30-year-old labourer lost his life after falling into an open manhole maintained by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in Rohini’s Begumpur area.
(With agency inputs)