Hariyana, Oct.29,2025:Yamuna bridge collapse struck a striking blow to infrastructure in Haryana when, on Tuesday evening in the district of Yamunanagar, a large portion of an 80-to-100-year-old bridge over the Western Yamuna Canal (which links to the Yamuna River) in the village of Badhi Majra suddenly collapsed. Fortunately, there were no casualties, because by sheer luck the structure failed after the day’s heavy traffic had ended. The old bridge, declared unsafe by authorities, gave way at around 5 pm, creating a thunderous crash and panic among local residents-
The collapse comes hours after thousands of devotees had used the bridge earlier in the day while attending Chhath Puja rituals on the canal banks. The timing therefore could have spelled a major disaster.
the old bridge, location and significance
The structure that experienced the Yamuna bridge collapse was located in Badhi Majra village in Yamunanagar district.
This bridge spanned the Western Yamuna Canal, a major irrigation and water-diversion infrastructure connected to the main Yamuna river basin. The canal has long provided connectivity for multiple villages: Badhi Majra, Teerth Nagar, Pansra and Tajkapur among them.
Locally, the bridge served as a shortcut despite being declared unsafe, used by villagers and by people travelling towards UP’s Saharanpur region.
Its age: reports say the bridge was built around 80 to 100 years ago. One report says “about 100 years old”.
Though a new parallel bridge had been constructed some years ago, the old one remained standing and still in occasional use.
Warning signs and prior condemnation
Long before the Yamuna bridge collapse, the old bridge had been officially declared unsafe and closed to regular traffic by the irrigation and water-resources department.
Villagers claim they had repeatedly alerted local police and officers about visible cracks and deterioration. One resident said they had drawn the attention of the nearby police station. Despite official closure, no active demolition or complete barricading seems to have been enforced; the bridge continued to see people walking or using it as a shortcut. After the Yamuna bridge collapse, local administration admitted the structure had long been unused since a new bridge was built, yet the old one had not been removed. Residents questioned why the condemned structure remained accessible.
The near-tragedy on Chhath Puja day
The Yamuna bridge collapse occurred on a particularly sensitive day: the festival of Chhath Puja, when thousands gather on canal banks at dawn and dusk for rituals.
Many devotees had used the old bridge earlier that morning and afternoon to reach the ghat, cross the canal, and return home. Had the collapse occurred a few hours earlier, the death-toll could have been catastrophic.
One villager described hearing a sound “like a bomb explosion” when the bridge’s centre portion gave way.
This underscores the element of luck in averting a major disaster — an unsafe historic structure collapsed, but at a moment when pedestrian density had dropped.
In short: the Yamuna bridge collapse could have been a deadly incident — but for timing and fortune.
road closures, investigations and local reactions
Following the Yamuna bridge collapse, the irrigation department and police sealed off the bridge approaches from both ends and dumped soil/blocks to prevent access. The debris from the collapsed portion is being cleared and inspections of adjacent structures are underway to ensure no imminent risk of further collapse.
Local residents voiced frustration: they said despite known danger and repeated warnings, corrective action (like demolition of the condemned bridge or stricter barricading) had lagged.
Officials acknowledged the bridge was old and closed to traffic but argued no persons were on it at time of collapse.
Questions now loom-
- Why was the old bridge still standing and accessible even after new bridge was built
- Was the risk assessment and public safety messaging sufficient?
- What accountability exists for deferred maintenance or decommissioning of unsafe structures?
Local media has begun investigations into the administrative timeline for closure of the old bridge and the role of district/irrigation authorities.
infrastructure risk, accountability and lessons
The Yamuna bridge collapse is not just a one-off incident — it raises serious issues about ageing infrastructure in India, especially in rural and semi-urban areas.
Infrastructure age and risk
Bridges built many decades ago, like this 80-100 year old structure, inherently carry risk of material fatigue, lack of updated design standards, and environmental wear. The fact that it had been “condemned” yet remained in place highlights the gap between de-commissioning and eradication of risk.
Public safety and oversight
When a structure is officially declared unsafe, it must be physically closed, barricaded, and monitored. The Yamuna bridge collapse shows that administrative closure without physical enforcement may fail to prevent hazard.
Timing and public gatherings
The near-miss on Chhath Puja day reminds us that large public gatherings near older infrastructure require special vigilance, temporary reinforcement or closure. Devotees use canals, ghats and adjacent bridges — risk must be accounted for in festival planning.
Accountability and maintenance culture
The incident invites scrutiny of the irrigation and water-resources departments, local administration, maintenance budgets, and priorities between new construction vs safe deconstruction of old assets.
Pre-emptive action and risk-mapping
Rural link bridges, shortcuts and lesser-used older spans may lack frequent inspection compared to highways. The collapse suggests a need for regular audits of such structures, especially when labelled “unsafe.”
External resources such as engineering studies on bridge lifespan, rural infrastructure audits and disaster-risk reduction (for example via the World Bank or Indian government manuals) may offer best-practice frameworks.
remediation, new bridge, policy reforms
In the wake of the Yamuna bridge collapse, immediate steps include-
Complete demolition of the collapsed structure and safe removal of debris so waterway and canal traffic are unaffected.
- Ensure the new parallel bridge is fully functional and access restrictions to the old one are strictly enforced.
- Carry out structural audits of other similar aged bridges in the region (Yamunanagar district and adjacent canal/river networks).
- Enhance signage, community awareness and local accountability: villagers should be informed of danger zones and prohibited shortcuts flagged.
- At policy level: state irrigation department must perhaps adopt a “bridge-retirement” plan: once a new span opens, the old must be physically closed and structurally removed within a timeline.
- For festival events and high-footfall days (e.g., Chhath Puja) near canal/river structures, special risk assessment and crowd-management protocols to be enforced.
Longer-term: the Yamuna bridge collapse may push the Haryana government to issue statewide circulars on ‘Aging Rural Bridges’, inspection cycles, asset liability tracking and budget allocation for safe decommissioning.
The community in the villages around Badhi Majra will also demand explanation: why was an 80-year-old condemned bridge still being used as a pedestrian route? The answer may drive trust in local governance.
The Yamuna bridge collapse in Yamunanagar may have ended in a fortunate near-miss — no casualties — but it serves as a stark warning. A decades-old, condemned bridge gave way just hours after thousands had used it during Chhath Puja. The incident highlights the fragility of aging infrastructure, the gap between administrative declarations and ground enforcement, and the pressing need for proactive asset management.
If lessons are learned, and corrective systems put in place, then the collapse will serve as an impetus for reform rather than just an avoided tragedy. But delay or denial may mean the next incident will not be as forgivable.
