Heavy rainfall battered the Konkan region on Monday, severely disrupting road, rail and air transport across Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa. Landslides, flooding and waterlogging affected key transport corridors, causing long traffic jams, train delays and flight disruptions.
Traffic on both the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the old Mumbai-Pune Highway was suspended for several hours after landslides triggered by continuous rain. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) said movement in both directions was halted until further notice due to safety concerns.
“Due to a landslide and continuous heavy rainfall, traffic movement on both the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and the old Mumbai-Pune Highway has been severely affected. Traffic in both directions has been stopped until further notice,” an MSRDC official said.
The corporation urged people to avoid travelling between Mumbai and Pune until the situation improves. Travellers were advised to postpone non-essential journeys and follow official traffic advisories.
Meanwhile, videos showing water leakage at the Expressway’s under-construction Missing Link section went viral on social media, sparking concerns among commuters.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said a major landslide had deposited large amounts of soil and rocks on the Expressway, adding that restoration work was being carried out on a war footing to reopen the route at the earliest.
Rail services on the busy Mumbai-Pune corridor were also hit after landslides and waterlogging affected the Bhor Ghat section. Railway officials said landslides occurred near Thakurwadi in the Karjat-Lonavala stretch and on the middle line between Khandala and Monkey Hill, disrupting train operations.
Heavy rain also affected Western Railway services, with severe waterlogging reported between the Vasai Road-Virar and Saphale-Palghar sections. Restoration work on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad main line was underway, while traffic on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway moved at a slow pace due to the downpour.
The Mumbai-Goa National Highway was also affected after a landslide in the Kashedi Ghat section around midnight. Authorities allowed only heavy vehicles to pass, while light vehicles were diverted through alternate routes.
Several airlines, including Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Akasa Air, issued travel advisories warning passengers of delays caused by adverse weather conditions. The airlines advised travellers to check the latest flight status before leaving for the airport and to keep additional travel time in view of slow-moving traffic and waterlogged roads.
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