Structurally unsafe’ Roop Nagar footbridge collapses in Delhi, woman falls into drain, dies

A woman died and fresh questions have been raised about infrastructure safety after a 60‑foot iron foot overbridge in north Delhi’s Roop Nagar collapsed on Tuesday morning, despite being formally declared unsafe and closed months earlier.

The steel truss bridge, built roughly 33 years ago and spanning the Najafgarh drain near Mother Dairy, had been shut for public use since July 2025 after a structural inspection in March that year found it dangerously weak. However, local residents and schoolchildren continued to cross the bridge because it served as a vital shortcut to nearby markets and at least seven government and private schools, reducing travel distance by more than a kilometre.

Around 9.28 am , a PCR call alerted police and emergency services that the bridge had suddenly given way. A woman believed to be in her 50s and described by residents as a beggar was on the structure when it collapsed, falling into the drain where her body was later recovered after a 90‑minute search operation coordinated by the Delhi Fire Service , National Disaster Response Force , and Delhi Police.

Locals told media that the bridge had shown visible signs of distress for a long time, including frequent shaking and portions tilting, and that cracks and deterioration were apparent long before the collapse. They also noted that there was no permanent guard posted to enforce the closure, and many residents simply moved aside barricades to use the bridge.

Angered by the tragedy, residents confronted political leaders who visited the site, demanding accountability, a transparent audit of unsafe structures across the city, and safer alternative routes. Many said the collapse could have resulted in far greater loss of life if the incident had occurred during peak school commuting hours between 7 am and 8.30 am.

The Delhi government has constituted a three‑member committee to investigate the collapse, with a directive to submit its report within 48 hours , and has ordered a city‑wide audit of similar foot overbridges to assess their structural integrity. A case under Section 106 (1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for causing death by negligence has been registered against unknown persons as part of the ongoing inquiry.

Authorities have cordoned off the collapse site, warned that enforcement of bridge closures will be tightened, and said findings from the inquiry will guide future safety measures across the city’s ageing infrastructure.