Mumbai-Pune – Landslides Halt Key Rail and Road Routes Amid Heavy Rain
Mumbai-Pune – Heavy rain on Monday caused multiple landslides in the ghat stretch between Mumbai and Pune, bringing major rail and road routes to a standstill. Falling boulders damaged sections of railway track, while a separate slide near Khandala led authorities to close parts of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the old highway. Officials urged commuters to avoid non-essential travel until conditions improve.
Railway Teams Begin Track Clearance Operations
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said restoration teams had been deployed after reviewing the situation in the Mumbai-Pune ghat section. He said officers from Central Railway and Western Railway had been asked to coordinate closely, with more rain expected during the day.
The disruption was reported in the South East Ghat section between Karjat and Lonavala. Central Railway said a landslide occurred between Thakurvadi and Monkey Hill Loop Cabin on the Up Main Line of the Mumbai division. The debris and boulders on the tracks forced railway authorities to suspend movement on the affected section and revise train operations.
Several Pune and Mumbai Trains Cancelled
A number of important passenger services between Mumbai and Pune were cancelled because of the track obstruction. These included the Indrayani Express, Deccan Express, Deccan Queen, Pragati Express, Sinhagad Express and Intercity Express services operating in both directions.
The CSMT-Dhule Express and Dhule-CSMT Express were also cancelled. Passengers were advised to check the latest railway announcements before heading to stations, as restoration work was continuing in difficult weather conditions.
Several long-distance services were diverted through alternative routes. Among the affected trains were the Ahmedabad-Kolhapur Express, Ahmedabad-Pune Duronto Express, Indore-Daund Express, Bidar-CSMT Express, Hazur Sahib Nanded-Panvel Express, Charlapalli-Indore Humsafar Express, LTT-SMVT Bengaluru Express, Daund-Gwalior Superfast Express and Chennai Egmore-CSMT Mail.
Mumbai Local Services Continue With Minor Delays
Central Railway said Mumbai’s suburban network remained operational across all four corridors. Main Line trains were running around six to eight minutes late, while Harbour Line services were delayed by approximately four minutes.
Services on the Transharbour corridor and the Uran-Belapur route were operating on schedule, according to the railway administration. Authorities said they were monitoring rainfall levels and track conditions throughout the day.
Expressway Traffic Diverted Near Khandala
Road traffic was also hit after a major landslide was reported near the Khandala exit on the Missing Link section of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The Mumbai-bound carriageway was shut as a safety measure after debris fell near the exit of Tunnel 2 on the Pune-to-Mumbai connecting link road.
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation said traffic had been diverted from 4 am because of intense rainfall and the risk posed by the landslide. The agency said it was working with Highway Traffic Police to monitor the location and assess when the road could be reopened.
Preliminary information indicated that no casualties had been reported.
Authorities Advise Against Intercity Travel
The District Information Office appealed to residents and travellers to postpone journeys between Pune and Mumbai. It said both the expressway and the old Mumbai-Pune Highway had been badly affected by the weather and landslide-related closures.
Officials asked commuters to follow verified traffic updates and government advisories rather than attempting alternate routes through the ghat region.
The disruption also affected Mumbai’s dabbawala network. The Mumbai Dabbawalas Association suspended food delivery and return collection services for the day, citing rain-related disruption to railway operations and difficulty in transporting tiffin boxes across the city.