Datanomics: Cracks in infrastructure and gaps in spending by states

Bridge collapses are on the rise, jumping from 21 in 2023 to 29 in 2024 though it fluctuated in between. This represented a 38 per cent year-on-year growth in 2024

A century-old British-era bridge over the Indrayani River in Pune recently collapsed, killing four and injuring 40. The incident adds to a rising number of such accidents—over 20 bridge collapses have occurred across India in 2023 and 2024.  Between 2013 and 2022, at least 226 people died in similar incidents, with the highest toll in 2013 (53 deaths). In 2024 alone, around 10 fatalities have been reported.  Despite the frequency of these accidents, the share of road and bridge spending in overall state and UT transport budgets has declined—from 92 per cent in 2021–22 to 81 per cent in 2024–25