Landslide blocks traffic on Mumbai-Pune e-way

Landslide caused by heavy rain blocked the busy Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Monday for seven hours, following which the traffic was diverted to the old highway route.

Landslide caused by heavy rain blocked the busy Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Monday for seven hours, following which the traffic was diverted to the old highway route.

Landslide-caused-by-heavy-rains-blocked-the-busy-Mumbai-Pune-Express-Highway-following-which-the-traffic-was-diverted-via-the-old-highway-route

Although there were no casualties, the earth moving machines took more than three hours to reach the spot and another two to clear the debris.

Traffic headed to Mumbai was diverted to the old highway through Lonavla, which led to long queues of vehicles.

All three lanes going towards Mumbai were closed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) after boulders fell near the Khandala tunnel on the expressway around 10am.

Two lanes were opened around 5pm. The Lonavla-Khandala section has been witnessing heavy rain since Saturday evening.

According to the MeT, Lonavla recorded 160mm rainfall in 24 hours till 8am on Monday.

A minor landslide also took place at Eakvira temple at Karla late in the night, in which a portion of temple office was damaged.

Good rainfall in western Maharashtra increased the water level at Koyna dam in Satara district. Also, Gaganbawda in Kolhapur district witnessed 184mm rain.