New Delhi | A 60-foot iron bridge, declared unsafe yet used daily by hundreds of school students to cross a drain in north Delhi, collapsed on Tuesday morning, killing a woman. With a major tragedy averted, the Delhi government ordered a probe into the incident and a city-wide safety audit of similar structures.
The 33-year-old bridge served as the main access to at least seven government and private schools.
Hundreds of students on their way to school had crossed the bridge in Roop Nagar shortly before it collapsed around 9.30 am, locals said. Had it been earlier, many more could have been killed.
"At the time of the incident, most students had already crossed the bridge, which likely averted a major tragedy," a local said and pointed out that the structure sees heavy footfall between 7 am and 8.30 am.
Authorities said the bridge had already been declared unsafe and closed for public movement. Despite barricades, the bridge continued to be used regularly due to the lack of a convenient alternative route, according to residents.
It connected Gur Mandi and Roop Nagar, and served as a crucial shortcut, reducing travel time by nearly 30 minutes as well as the distance by at least one kilometre for students heading to the nearby schools.
The bridge was widely used by locals to access the nearby markets, they said, adding that not even a single guard was deputed there who could stop people from using the structure.
Following the collapse, a case was registered under BNS section 106 (1) (causing death by negligence) against unknown persons, police said.
They said a PCR call about the incident was received at 9.28 am, following which emergency teams rushed to the spot. The bridge had caved into the drain below.
During search operations, the body of the woman, believed to be around 50 years old and suspected to be a beggar, was recovered from the drain. Locals said she used to sit near one end of the bridge.
Personnel from the Delhi Fire Service, National Disaster Response Force and Delhi Police carried out a coordinated rescue operation, deploying multiple teams and fire tenders to retrieve the body.
Dheeraj Goyal, a local shopkeeper, said the bridge had been in a dilapidated condition for a long time. “There were cracks for a long time, and even the side walls had been hit earlier. It's not that there were no signs. The problem was that it was never properly repaired," he said.
He added that the structure had weakened significantly over time. "The base had hollowed out. If an iron support or angled reinforcement had been added underneath, this could have been prevented," Goyal claimed.
He said the bridge was partially closed around seven to eight months ago due to safety concerns, but a section was later reopened for pedestrians after protests by local residents. He also flagged the heavy footfall due to nearby schools.
"During school dispersal, the bridge used to be packed with students. Now, the situation will worsen, and there will be heavy congestion on the alternative route,” he said.
Zoya, a Class 8 student, said the bridge had been in a visibly dangerous condition for some time. "A portion of it had begun to sink and tilt to one side, making it uneven and unstable. We avoided holding the railing because the netting was torn," she said.
A group of students echoed similar concerns, saying the bridge would shake whenever people stood on it. "It used to wobble when we stood on it. We had to walk very carefully, and even holding onto the railing felt unsafe," a student said.
Several locals alleged that despite repeated complaints about the deteriorating condition of the bridge, no effective steps were taken to completely restrict access.
Some residents confronted political leaders who visited the site following the incident, questioning the lack of preventive action.
According to the Delhi government, the steel truss bridge was inspected in March 2025 and declared structurally unsafe, following which it was closed for public use in July that year.
Irrigation and Flood Control Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said a three-member committee has been constituted to investigate the incident, and it will submit a report within 48 hours.
"We have constituted a committee to examine all aspects, including the condition of the structure and the circumstances leading to the collapse. Responsibility will be fixed, and necessary action will follow," he said.
The minister also ordered a safety audit of all similar foot overbridges across the city.
Officials said a preliminary assessment suggests structural deterioration as a possible cause of the collapse, though a detailed inspection will ascertain the exact reason. The area has been cordoned off to prevent further accidents, and further action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry, they added.
