India, March 18 -- A rusty, old bridge in north Delhi's Roop Nagar area was never just a crossing; it was a crucial effort-saving shortcut for hundreds of locals who could not dispense with it despite its unsafe status and signs of decay.

On Tuesday morning, a portion of the bridge connecting Roop Nagar and Gur Mandi collapsed around 9.15 am, killing a woman believed to be around 50 years old. Police said she was near one end of the structure when it gave way and fell into the drain.

Officials had declared the bridge structurally unsafe and closed it in July last year after an inspection found severe deterioration. Barricades were put up, chains were tied, and even a wall was constructed at one point to block access.

But residents on b...