Tragedies of the past always set up lessons for the future, but this seems of no use as tragedy struck once again during the Baisakhi Mela at Beni Sangam temple in Chenani block in Udhampur district, where a footbridge collapsed due to overloading, resulting in the death of a minor and injuries to 64 people, including children and women. Beni Sangam is a place of great historical significance that is home to a over 500 yeras old Shiva temple, with several other temples in the vicinity. Additionally, there are bathing ghats located on both sides of the Beni River, where people come to take a holy dip. The ill-fated bridge that collapsed was the result of a collaborative effort between the temple management committee and the locals in 2007. The funds for the bridge were raised through personal contributions, as the Government did not provide any financial assistance for the project. The arrangements were inadequate, and when the bridge collapsed, chaos followed at the site, with people scrambling to rescue those who were trapped under the collapsed bridge. The victims were subsequently taken to the hospital with the assistance of the police. Post-COVID-19, there is a clear tendency for the public to suffer from celebration syndrome, but the local administration paid no attention to it. Such kinds of bridge collapses had happened many times in the past, the most recent being the Morbi Bridge tragedy in Gujarat, but no specific precautions were in place at Beni Sangam. With so many temples in the same area and bathing ghats as well, a huge rush of devotees is quite expected on the auspicious occasion, but the local administration was least prepared, resulting in overcrowding of the bridge and the resultant loss of innocent life. The administration must foresee the potential weak points, and an old bridge, though privately constructed, still requires a timely audit. An inquiry has been ordered, and one hopes some accountability is fixed.
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