Pune: Heavy rainfall across Pune district severely affected travel on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Monday, with commuters facing long traffic jams, waterlogging and diversions after a landslide led to the closure of the Missing Link section near Lonavala.
Vehicles Diverted Through Old Ghat, Travel Time Soars
The closure forced authorities to divert vehicles through the old ghat section of the expressway. The diversion, coupled with continuous rain and poor visibility, led to slow-moving traffic and significantly increased travel time between Pune and Mumbai.
Many travellers said what is usually a two-to-three-hour journey stretched much longer as traffic came to a standstill at several places.
Sohail Tamboli: 3-Hour Trip Took Nearly Double That Time
Sohail Tamboli, a resident of Kiwale, said he left Pune early in the morning expecting to reach Mumbai in about three hours. "Since the Missing Link has opened, the journey sometimes takes less than two hours. But the journey took almost double that today. Traffic came to a complete standstill several times because of the heavy rain and waterlogging. We kept receiving updates about landslides and road closures, so everyone in the vehicle was anxious. Thankfully, we reached safely, but it was one of the most exhausting journeys I've experienced on this route," he said.
Smruti Kulkarni, a resident of Warje, said she was on her way to Mumbai when she learnt that the Missing Link section had been shut due to a landslide. "Traffic police diverted all vehicles to the old expressway alignment through the ghat section. The diversion added a lot of time to our journey, and traffic moved very slowly because of the rain. It was frustrating, but the diversion was necessary considering the weather and safety concerns. However, we were able to reach Mumbai," she said.
Not everyone continued with their journey. Some travellers chose to turn back after seeing the weather conditions in the ghat section.
Rupesh Tonpe, a resident of Aundh, said he abandoned his trip after reaching Lonavala. "I was travelling to Mumbai for work, but by the time I reached Lonavala, the rain had become so intense that visibility was extremely poor. I was informed that The Missing Link was closed. The old ghat section is always a risky road to travel during the monsoon. There was water on the road, traffic wasn't moving and people were saying more landslides were possible. I decided it wasn't worth taking the risk and returned to Pune. Missing an appointment is better than putting your life in danger in such conditions," he said.
The disruption came as Pune district continued to receive intense rainfall under the influence of an active low-pressure area and strong monsoon winds. Several parts of the district witnessed flooding, rising river levels and road closures, while authorities advised people to avoid unnecessary travel until weather conditions improve.
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