GUWAHATI: Relentless monsoon rains severely disrupted connectivity between Pune and Mumbai on Monday, July 6, after a landslide near Lohgad Fort and widespread flooding forced the closure of both the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the old Mumbai-Pune Highway, while rail services were also affected.
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Authorities have urged the public to avoid travelling between Pune and Mumbai until further notice, citing unsafe road conditions and continuing heavy rainfall.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Pune and an orange alert for Mumbai, warning of continued heavy precipitation.
According to officials, a landslip at Patan village near Lohgad Fort affected traffic movement on both major road corridors. A family is reported to have been caught within the landslide's impact zone, and rescue operations are underway.
The Highway Traffic Police said the Mumbai-bound carriageway of the newly opened Missing Link section of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway was closed after a landslide near the exit of Tunnel 2. Traffic was diverted through Lonavala, resulting in massive congestion and long delays. Waterlogging on the Khandala Ghat stretch further compounded the disruption.
Police said the Pune-Mumbai Expressway has been closed between the Connecting Link and the Missing Link after a concrete pillar reportedly fell in the area.
The old Mumbai-Pune Highway has also been shut because of overflowing water at several locations. Flood-like conditions have also been reported from Maval and Tamhini Ghat, affecting alternate routes between the two cities.
The diversions triggered heavy traffic snarls around Lonavala, with stranded commuters reporting hours-long delays.
Rail connectivity was also impacted by the adverse weather, with railway authorities cancelling at least 16 trains and diverting nine others because of heavy rainfall and waterlogging.
The Missing Link, a 13-km bypass on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway inaugurated about two months ago, was built to ease congestion through the Khandala Ghat section by reducing travel distance and saving up to 30 minutes. However, Monday's landslide rendered the stretch inaccessible, forcing authorities to reroute traffic.
Police have appealed to commuters to postpone all non-essential travel between Pune and Mumbai and to follow official traffic advisories until weather conditions improve. Rescue and restoration efforts are continuing, while authorities remain on alert as heavy rain persists.