The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, old highways and railway tracks were disrupted due to heavy rains and landslides. With road-rail connectivity disrupted, the administration appealed to passengers to avoid non-essential travel.
Mumbai/Pune: Whenever disaster rains from the sky on the Mumbai-Pune corridor surrounded by the hills of the Western Ghats, the journey is no longer just a journey, but becomes a test. But what happened this Sunday broke the records of last many years. Several landslides and inundations of sky water, accompanied by heavy rains, completely cut the lifeline between these two largest and important metropolises of Maharashtra. The veins connecting Mumbai-Pune – be it the gleaming expressway, the historic old highway or the railway network that cuts through the mountains – everything came to a halt in an instant. Thousands of passengers got stuck on the way and the entire administrative staff looked helpless in front of this terrible form of nature.
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Shadow of death on ‘missing link’: Even new technology forced to kneel
The devastation started from the section which was recently opened to make the Mumbai-Pune journey easier and safer. Suddenly a large part of the mountains collapsed on the newly constructed ‘Missing Link’ section, considered an example of engineering. A flood of heavy rocks and debris fell on the road. This incident worsened the already bad situation in the entire area.
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In the words of eyewitnesses: Some drivers traveling on the expressway said that the sound of stones falling from the mountains was like a bomb blast. In the blink of an eye, the path that was running at full speed just a few minutes ago, became just a pile of debris and a silence of terror.
Not only the ‘missing link’, but also the havoc of nature was clearly visible on the old Mumbai-Pune Expressway. So much water accumulated near the historic Amrutanjan Bridge and Khalapur Toll Plaza that vehicles started floating. After this, another big landslide occurred on the old Mumbai-Pune highway, which dashed the remaining hopes of connectivity by road.
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Trishul of Ghat section collapsed: When all three railway lines were blocked together
People often consider railways as their last hope after the closure of roads, but in the darkness of the morning, debris fell on the rail network as well. A terrible landslide occurred early in the morning in Thakurwadi area of Pune-Mumbai railway line. While the railway teams were planning a strategy to remove the debris, at around 3:05 in the morning another major landslide occurred on the middle line between Khandala and Monkey Hill. These twin incidents shook the entire structure of the Railways in the very sensitive and beautiful ghat section between Karjat and Lonavala. All three important lines of the railway – Up Line, Down Line and Service Line – were simultaneously hit by debris and stones. Due to huge rocks falling on the tracks, the wheels of the trains came to a halt. That morning was no less than a nightmare for the passengers sitting in the trains stuck between the ghats.
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‘Stay at home, do not travel’: The strict warning from the administration which surprised everyone
Considering the seriousness of the situation and the danger of falling rocks every moment, the administration and the police department had to take immediate tough decisions. As a precautionary measure, the police have completely limited and temporarily closed the movement of general public on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the old highway and the entire railway corridor. Amidst the continuous torrential rains, relief and rescue operations are facing huge difficulties. The Meteorological Department and the local administration have issued a very emotional and strict appeal to the public to avert any possible major accident. Residents and travelers have been clearly told not to attempt to travel between Mumbai and Pune unless it is a matter of life or death or for extremely urgent work. People have been instructed to stay safe inside their homes until this ferocious form of nature calms down. The truth is that this Sunday became a day in the history of these two cities, which made one realize the supreme power of nature amidst the claims of development.