Railway employees took upon themselves the task of clearing soil, stones and trees lying on the tracks due to landslides in Samarapadi. Although incessant rain is hampering train operations, officials are trying to resume train services as soon as possible.
The Railway Department has asked passengers to check the up-to-date status of their trains before setting off. Against this backdrop, helpline numbers have also been launched at CSMT, Thane, Lonavala and Dadar railway stations.
On the other hand, the Pune-Mumbai Expressway was also affected by heavy rains. Vehicle traffic in both directions is temporarily suspended. Considering the safety of the public, police have issued instructions not to travel on this route until further notice.
A flood-like situation prevailed in Maval and Tamhini Ghat areas and alternative roads were also inundated. A concrete pillar fell on the road between the connecting link and the missing link of the expressway, causing traffic to come to a complete standstill. Police said traffic on the old Mumbai-Pune National Highway has been stopped as rainwater is flowing on the road at many places.
Apart from this, the Mumbai-Pune Missing Link Project, which was opened for public movement just two months ago, was also affected by the rain. This 13 km long bypass route was created through the Sahyadri mountain range and was intended to reduce the distance between Mumbai and Pune by about 6 km and save travel time of 25 to 30 minutes. However, this route was also closed due to a landslide.
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) introduced a traffic diversion from 4 am. Traffic police and other emergency services have arrived at the scene and are monitoring the situation. Motorists are asked not to travel along this route unless necessary.
Many motorists heading towards Mumbai were stuck in traffic jams in Lonavala and Khandala Ghat for several hours.
Since the Missing Link was closed, many vehicles tried to use the old route through Lonavala city, resulting in heavy traffic. Some said they were stuck on the road for more than four hours.
The Pune district administration has declared a holiday for all government and private schools in the district due to heavy rains. Bha
The Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that heavy rainfall is likely to continue in many parts of Maharashtra for the next few days.
As there is a possibility of floods, landslides and traffic disruptions in low-lying areas, people are asked not to leave their homes unless necessary and to follow instructions from the government and local administration.