Relentless monsoon rains brought traffic on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway to a near standstill on Monday after severe waterlogging and landslides were reported in the Lonavala-Khandala ghat section, disrupting one of the county’s busiest road corridors, with thousands of vehicles stranded for hours as authorities imposed traffic restrictions for safety.
A landslide near Tunnel 2 on the newly opened Khopoli-Kusgaon “Missing Link” alignment forced authorities to divert traffic from the Pune to Mumbai carriageway beginning around 4 am.
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Authorities have suspended traffic on both the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Mumbai-Pune Highway until further notice because of flooding and landslide risks. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), along with the Highway Traffic Police, launched efforts to monitor the affected areas, clear debris and regulate traffic.
Officials urged people to avoid non essential travel between Mumbai and Pune until weather conditions improve and roads are declared safe. Motorists have been advised to follow official traffic updates and cooperate with diversions put in place by the Highway Police and the MSRDC.
Thousands of motorists, including passengers travelling in private cars, buses and commercial vehicles were stranded in long queues. Diversion of vehicles through Lonavala created bumper to bumper congestion, significantly increasing travel time. Several travellers reported being stuck for hours while emergency personnel worked to assess road conditions and clear affected stretches.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of continued heavy to very heavy rainfall across parts of Maharashtra. Persistent rains have increased the risk of additional landslides and flooding in the Western Ghats, prompting authorities to keep restrictions in place until conditions improve. Emergency teams have been deployed to monitor vulnerable locations and respond to any further incidents.
The disruptions extended beyond road transport. Landslides in the Karjat-Lonavala ghat section affected railway operations, leading to cancellation and diversion of several trains connecting Mumbai and Pune. Flight operations at the Mumbai Airport also witnessed delays as adverse weather conditions continued to affect normal services.
Restoration work and continuous monitoring are underway on the affected stretches. Officials have stated that the traffic would be allowed to resume only after road conditions were declared safe and the risk from waterlogging and landslides subsided.
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