Pune: One of Maharashtra’s busiest rail corridors connecting its two largest cities is set to remain shut for an unprecedented third consecutive day on Wednesday, an exceptionally rare disruption for the Pune-Mumbai route that carries thousands of commuters and long-distance passengers daily. Even as railway engineers worked round the clock to clear landslide debris in the Khandala-Lonavla ghat section, Central Railway said train services are unlikely to resume on July 8 as extensive restoration and safety inspections continue.
Rail traffic between Pune and Mumbai remained completely suspended for the second straight day on Tuesday after a massive landslide between Thakurvadi Cabin and Monkey Hill Cabin on the Lonavla–Karjat section damaged tracks and overhead equipment. Railway officials said the challenging terrain and the need to certify the line safe before reopening have prolonged restoration efforts.
The prolonged closure has crippled one of the state’s most critical transport lifelines. Besides serving thousands of daily commuters, the route is the primary rail link between Pune and Mumbai and carries several prestigious intercity trains as well as long-distance services connecting southern and central India with the Mumbai metropolitan region.
As of 4 pm on Tuesday, Central Railway had cancelled 14 trains, diverted 13, short-terminated five, short-originated five, partially cancelled one and rescheduled eight trains.
Among the cancelled services were the Deccan Queen, Deccan Express, Indrayani Express, Pragati Express, Sinhagad Express, Pune–CSMT Intercity Express and Solapur–Pune Intercity. Several long-distance trains, including Chennai–CSMT, Hyderabad–CSMT and Nanded–Panvel services, were diverted via Daund, Manmad and Igatpuri.
{{/usCountry}}Among the cancelled services were the Deccan Queen, Deccan Express, Indrayani Express, Pragati Express, Sinhagad Express, Pune–CSMT Intercity Express and Solapur–Pune Intercity. Several long-distance trains, including Chennai–CSMT, Hyderabad–CSMT and Nanded–Panvel services, were diverted via Daund, Manmad and Igatpuri.
{{/usCountry}}The disruption left hundreds of passengers stranded at Pune Junction and other stations, with many forced to postpone travel or scramble for seats on buses and private vehicles. Long queues were seen at enquiry counters as passengers sought information on cancellations, diversions and refunds.
“I was supposed to travel to Mumbai for an important job interview on Tuesday morning, but my train was cancelled. Since all alternative travel options were packed or delayed, I had no choice but to postpone my trip. It has been extremely frustrating,” said Shantanu Gadre, who had booked a seat on the Deccan Queen.
Another passenger, Aarti Tripathi, whose family was scheduled to travel to Mumbai for a medical appointment, said, “Our train was cancelled at the last minute and getting confirmed seats on buses was also difficult because of the huge rush. We have been waiting for the rail route to reopen.”
Central Railway officials said restoration work was continuing without interruption but could not put a timeline on reopening.
“We are making every effort to restore at least one railway line at the earliest if conditions permit. However, as of now, the Pune–Mumbai rail route remains closed, and services on this section will continue to remain suspended on July 8 as well,” said Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer, Central Railway.
While rail passengers continued to face uncertainty, road connectivity improved significantly. In a major relief, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) resumed Pune–Mumbai bus services from Tuesday morning through the old Pune–Mumbai highway after road conditions improved. Pune–Nashik bus services also returned to normal.
“MSRTC has gradually resumed Pune–Mumbai bus services since Tuesday morning. Additional buses are being operated depending on passenger demand. Pune–Nashik services have also resumed normal operations, providing relief to commuters,” said Arun Siya, Divisional Controller, MSRTC Pune.
CR refunds ₹6 crore to 80,000 passengers
Central Railway has refunded nearly ₹6 crore to around 80,000 passengers affected by the disruption. On July 6 alone, the railway refunded ₹5.91 crore to 79,747 passengers — almost double the ₹3.01 crore refunded to 38,687 passengers on the corresponding day last year. The refund amount rose by 96%, while the number of passengers receiving refunds increased by 106%.
CR deployed additional staff and set up special help desks at stations to speed up refund processing. Railway authorities have advised passengers to check the latest train status before commencing their journey as restoration work continues.