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Another landslide on Pune-Mumbai expressway amid mega block
Pune-Mumbai expressway witnesses third landslide in a week, causing traffic jams. Authorities temporarily halt traffic to clear debris.
Pune-Mumbai expressway witnessed yet another landslide - third in a week - on Thursday evening hours after highway police and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) authorities closed the route to clear loose boulders earlier in the day.
The highway police had blocked Mumbai-Pune Expressway - second time within seven days - for vehicular traffic for two hours from 12 to 2 pm on Thursday to clear the debris off the highway. After two hours, traffic resumed on the expressway at around 2.30 pm as vehicles were allowed on the highway, officials said.
On Thursday evening, soil laced with boulders came crashing near Kamshet tunnel. The MSRDC with the help of Ideal Road Builders blocked one Mumbai-bound lane to clear the boulders. The landslide led to traffic jam amid rains.
Highways superintendent of police Lata Phad said that a landslide was reported at around 8.30 pm near Kamshet tunnel on Mumbai-Pune expressway. “The work of removing debris is underway and traffic has been temporarily halted. We will resume traffic soon in the next one hour.”
Earlier in the day, all the Mumbai- bound lanes of the high-speed corridor were closed for traffic for two hours around noon and traffic was diverted. The recent heavy downpour in Mumbai, Pune and Konkan region had led to landslides and rockfalls in the hilly areas including Mumbai-Pune expressway.
According to the highway authorities, a special block was enforced between 12 to 2 pm to address safety concerns of commuters by removing loose boulders from the hill at Adoshi tunnel.
Earlier this week, two incidents of landslides were reported on the Mumbai lane of the highway near Adoshi tunnel and Khandala ghat on Sunday and Monday. This had prompted the authorities to conduct a special block of two hours to clear the debris.
