Traffic on both the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and the old highway has been suspended indefinitely due to severe weather.
A landslide near Tunnel 2 on the Khopoli-Kusgaon Missing Link and a fallen concrete pillar blocked key expressway sections.
The old Pune-Mumbai highway was closed after floodwaters overflowed onto the road at multiple locations.
Traffic on both the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and the old Pune-Mumbai highway was suspended on Monday due to heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides, police informed claimed.
Officials urged the public to halt travel between the two cities due to safety risks. A police advisory confirmed that vehicular movement on both corridors had been suspended. "Citizens are requested not to undertake any journey between Pune and Mumbai until further directions are issued. Those planning to travel are advised to postpone their journey and follow traffic advisories and updates issued by government agencies," police stated.
Flood-like conditions have developed in parts of Maval and Tamhini Ghat, affecting alternate routes connecting Pune and Mumbai, according to PTI.
Expressway Obstructions and Landslides
A collapsed concrete pillar blocked the expressway, forcing authorities to shut the stretch between the Connecting Link and the Missing Link, PTI reported. Landslides near the exit of Tunnel 2 also disrupted the Khopoli-Kusgaon alignment early Monday, forcing officials to divert Mumbai-bound vehicles.
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link is a 13-km bypass opened two months ago that cuts through the Sahyadri mountains, reducing travel distance by 6 km and shaving 25 to 30 minutes off the commute, according to PTI.
Vehicles have been rerouted since 4 am on Monday to protect travellers, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation reported. The state body stated it is tracking conditions alongside the Highway Traffic Police and urged drivers to skip the route.
Highway Closures and Rescue
The old Pune-Mumbai highway has also been shut due to overflowing water at multiple locations, police told PTI. A rescue operation has been launched at Patan village near Lohgad Fort, where a family is reportedly trapped following a landslide.
The Pune district administration declared a holiday for all schools following the heavy rains, PTI reported.
A driver heading to Mumbai from Sangli in Western Maharashtra told PTI that they had been stranded near Lonavala since 4 am because of the diversion on the Missing Link. "As the Missing Link was closed for traffic, we came via Lonavala and are now stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Expressway in the section passing through Lonavala city," he said.
The highway traffic police control room informed PTI that traffic on the Khandala Ghat section of the expressway has been disrupted due to waterlogging and a landslide.
