Mumbai-Pune Rail Disruption To Continue As Rains Wash Away Restoration Work After Landslide

Mumbai: More than 75 hours after a landslide crippled the Mumbai–Pune rail corridor, train services continue to remain severely affected as relentless rain has repeatedly washed away restoration work in the Monkey Hill–Thakurwadi ghat section. Central Railway officials said repairs could take another 40-50 hours, with fresh downpours undoing work completed over the past two days.

The disruption is centred on the 5-6 km stretch between Monkey Hill and Thakurwadi in the Karjat-Lonavala ghat section. Three railway lines pass through this section. While the Up line runs around the hill through Nagnath, the Middle and Down lines have been affected by the landslide. According to railway engineers, intense rainfall on the night of July 8-9 further weakened the embankment after around 400 mm of rain lashed the area, washing away soil beneath the tracks and creating a major challenge for restoration teams.

Railway officials said the Down line has suffered the worst damage. "The mudslide washed away the soil and ballast beneath the track, creating a cavity nearly 60 metres deep and around 15 metres long. Stabilising the ground is the biggest challenge before track restoration can begin," a Central Railway official said. Engineers estimate that another 40-50 hours will be required, provided weather conditions improve.

The restoration effort has been repeatedly pushed back by continuous rainfall. Central Railway has deployed nearly 1,100 personnel, including engineers, technical staff and labourers, at the site. Officials said around 60 tonnes of debris and muck had already been cleared from the affected area. In addition, 12-15 tonnes of stones packed in gunny bags were placed to strengthen the weakened embankment. However, heavy rain on Wednesday night washed away the entire filling, forcing engineers to restart the work.

The prolonged disruption has significantly affected train operations on one of India's busiest rail corridors. Central Railway has cancelled around 10 Mumbai-Pune trains over the past two days while operating nearly 35 others through diversions or with delays. Passengers travelling between Mumbai and Pune have faced long waiting hours, cancellations and changes in train schedules, with the impact likely to continue through the week.

The incident has also raised questions about the growing impact of extreme weather on railway infrastructure. Since Monday, Karjat has recorded more than 900 mm of rainfall, while Lonavala has received nearly 1,500 mm. Railway officials admitted that such unprecedented rainfall has stretched existing protection systems beyond their design limits.

Before the monsoon, Central Railway had carried out several safety measures in the vulnerable Kalyan-Lonavala-Karjat and Kasara-Igatpuri ghat sections in collaboration with Konkan Railway Corporation Limited and with technical support from IIT experts.

The works included rockfall barriers, retaining walls, gabion structures, protective fencing, catch pits and strengthening of tunnel portals. While these measures helped reduce risks at several locations, officials said the scale and intensity of this week's rainfall exposed the need for stronger, long-term solutions to tackle increasingly frequent extreme weather events. With another spell of heavy rain forecast around July 15, railway authorities remain on alert, fearing fresh damage to the already fragile stretch.

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