Rain fury cripples Mumbai-Pune lifelines
Incessant rains on Monday claimed three lives across the Mumbai-Pune region while significantly disrupting transport networks, including rail and road links between the two key cities. The relentless shower also crippled normal life on Monday. At least 13 people, so far, have died in the last three to four days in rain-related incidents. Air services were also hit.
The newly opened Missing Link section of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway failed its first monsoon test as rains triggered landslides. The expressway was closed between the Connecting Link and Missing Link sections after a concrete pillar fell on the carriageway. The old Pune-Mumbai highway was also shut due to overflowing water at multiple locations.
Train services on the busy Mumbai-Pune route were suspended early Monday after heavy rains triggered landslides in the Karjat-Lonavala Bhor Ghat section, officials said.
The Central Railway suspended local train services between Karjat and Khopoli in Raigad district after heavy rains washed away the ballast (gravel bed supporting the tracks) between Lowjee and Dolavli stations, they said. Some parts of Palghar district recorded nearly 300 mm of rainfall in just two hours, worsening the situation by 9 am.
More than 40 local train services were impacted on the Mumbai western suburban line, with at least eight trains rescheduled, 10 cancelled, and several others diverted or short-terminated due to heavy rain, waterlogging and a landslide.
Five flights arriving at the Mumbai airport were diverted to other facilities till 3.30 pm on Monday due to bad weather in the metropolis, officials added.
On Monday, two people were killed after their house was buried in a landslide at Patan village in Maval tehsil of Pune district. Another person died after being swept away on a flooded road in Pune.
Maharashtra Disaster Management Minister Girish Mahajan said 13 people have died in the last three to four days in rain-related incidents. A red alert for heavy rains has been sounded for the next two days, he added.
Both houses of the State legislature were adjourned in view of heavy showers, while the Bombay High Court assured that no adverse orders would be passed if lawyers were unable to reach the court.
Before the adjournment, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in the Assembly that extreme rainfall was a “force majeure” situation beyond human control, but with people’s cooperation, such emergencies could be handled more effectively.
“The entire disaster management machinery, municipal corporations and other agencies are on the ground. We are in alert mode,” he added.
On average, 800 trees fall during the monsoon, but on Sunday alone, 350 trees fell, the CM said. Traffic movement was less on roads as a holiday was declared for schools, and many people opted to work from home.
Opposition legislators staged a protest on the Vidhan Bhavan steps in Mumbai, raising slogans that “Inframan” had gone missing and accusing the Maharashtra Government of failing to protect people amid heavy rains. They said the downpour over the past few days exposed “crumbling infrastructure” across Mumbai and other parts of the state.
