Mumbai: Torrential rain lashed the Lonavala region overnight, triggering a collapse of a protective hill slope structure near the entry point of the Missing Link tunnel on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway in the early hours of Monday. Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) officials said the incident was caused by intense rainfall and described the collapsed portion as a "cosmetic structure", adding that the tunnel itself has not been affected.
MSRDC Calls It "Cosmetic Structure", Tunnel Unharmed
According to MSRDC, the landslide was reported around 3 am after continuous heavy rain battered the region. Debris from the hill slope slid onto the approach area, prompting immediate clearance operations. Heavy machinery, including cranes and JCB excavators, has been deployed to remove the fallen material.
An MSRDC official said the slope protection design had been prepared by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. As per the approved design, rock bolting had been carried out for a height of around 15 metres. However, the hill itself rises to nearly 150 metres, and the failure occurred beyond the protected stretch following the exceptionally heavy rainfall.
IIT Bombay-Designed Rock Bolting Only Covered 15 Metres
"The rock-bolting design was provided by IIT Bombay. We will once again seek their assessment and recommendations so that further protection measures, if required, can be implemented based on their study," the official said.
The landslide occurred amid widespread rain-related disruption across the Lonavala-Khalapur belt. Overflowing water from the Patalganga River led to inundation at Khalapur, forcing authorities to temporarily close sections of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway until floodwaters recede, the official added.
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