Monsoon trek over the weekend? Don’t go to these 15 dangerous sites in Maharashtra till September

Mumbai city news: The group of 55, stuck at Devkund between two streams of the Kundalika river, was rescued after a six-hour operation

After 55 students got stranded near a waterfall in Raigad on Sunday, trekkers from across the city have come up with a list of 15 spots that are unsafe for vacationers, amateur trekkers and picnickers till September.

Safety comes first, say trekkers.(HT)

The group of 55, stuck at Devkund between two streams of the Kundalika river, was rescued after a six-hour operation.

According to the Raigad and Navi Mumbai police, there have been 15 deaths and 50 injuries at various waterfalls, hilly areas around Mumbai this monsoon over the past two weeks .

“On Tuesday, two people died near the Devkund waterfalls after being pulled into an overflowing stream,” said a senior police personnel from Raigad. “It is our request to citizens not to traverse in dangerous territories during this season.”

The locations identified as dangerous monsoon spots are – Devkund waterfalls near Bhira village in Raigad, Chinchoti waterfalls in Vasai, Pandavkada in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Zenith waterfall at Khopoli, Kundeshwar at Badlapur, Kalawatin Fort in Panvel, Kataldhar waterfall in Lonavala, Mahuli stram at Aasangaon, Harishchandra Nalichi Vaat, Nagpur, Andharban in Mulshi, Plus valley in Raigad, Dudhsagar in Goa, Baraki waterfall in Kolhapur, Rautwadi waterfall in Kolhapur, Gadeshwar Dam in Panvel and Thoseghar waterfall in Satara.

SPOTS TO AVOID

Devkund waterfalls near Bhira village in Raigad

Chinchoti waterfalls in Vasai, Pandavkada in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai

Zenith waterfall at Khopoli

Kundeshwar at Badlapur

Kalawatin Fort in Panvel

Kataldhar waterfall in Lonavala

Mahuli stram at Aasangaon

Harishchandra Nalichi Vaat, Nagpur

Andharban in Mulshi

Plus valley in Raigad

Dudhsagar in Goa

Baraki waterfall in Kolhapur

Rautwadi waterfall in Kolhapur

Gadeshwar Dam in Panvel

Thoseghar waterfall in Satara

Source: Compiled and circulated by the several trekkers groups based on fatalities in these areas from Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune)

“We want trekkers to be safe ,” said Pankaj Samel, resident of Dombivli who has been trekking through hills in Maharashtra for the past 16 years. “Most of these locations have either streams or very high waterfalls. Combined with the intensity of rain and cloud cover, the current is very strong during this time, blocking paths made for trekkers.”

Trekkers say most vacationers are unable to gauge the amount of rain at hilltop. (HT)

“At the base of the hills, vacationers or amateur trekkers are not aware of the amount of rain at the hill top. The amount of water that suddenly trickles down becomes dangerous for travellers,” said Samel.

Navi Mumbai resident Utkarsh Erandkar, an experienced trekker with Guerrilla adventures, said, “During vacations, people have the habit of taking pictures at the bottom of waterfalls. Due to heavy rain and the rise in lake, river and stream levels along the Western Ghats, massive rocks and trees are pulled by the current and fall several feet at the base of these waterfalls,” he said.

A group at Devkund. (HT)

While these 15 locations might be dangerous, trekkers identified a few locations that are safe during the monsoon. “Rather than going to the hills, vacationers and explorers can go to beaches or even hilly regions like Rajmachi in Sahayadri mountain range, Karnala bird sanctuary in Panvel, Kothaligad (Peth) in Karjat etc., which are relatively very safe,” said Shrikant Pillai, resident of Kandivali and member of Yatri-Sahayadri, who has been an avid trekker for the past two decades.