Landslide Disrupts Newly Inaugurated Mumbai–Pune Expressway Missing Link; Traffic Diverted Amid Monsoon Chaos
A landslide near Tunnel 2 on the newly inaugurated Mumbai–Pune Expressway missing link disrupted traffic and forced diversions to the old highway. Built at a cost of ₹6,700 crore and opened on May 1, the 13.3 km bypass saw no casualties as emergency teams cleared debris amid red alert monsoon conditions and political criticism over safety concerns.
The affected bypass, inaugurated only two months earlier on May 1 by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a project cost of ₹6,700 crore, is a key infrastructure upgrade designed to ease congestion between Mumbai and Pune. Following the landslide, traffic on the Mumbai-to-Pune carriageway was diverted to the existing highway network as a precautionary measure.
Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to the site to clear debris and restore movement. Despite the disruption, officials confirmed that no casualties were reported in the incident. By midday, the Mumbai-to-Pune lane was reopened after partial restoration work, though monitoring and cleanup operations continued in the affected zone.
The disruption comes amid a red alert issued for extreme monsoon downpours across the region, which have already led to widespread waterlogging and the temporary suspension of train services in several areas. Restoration efforts have been ongoing as weather forecasts indicate a possible easing of rainfall intensity.
The incident has also triggered political reactions, with opposition leaders Aaditya Thackeray and Rohit Pawar raising concerns over safety standards, alleged infrastructure weaknesses, and recurring issues such as pothole formation, questioning the preparedness of newly developed transport projects under extreme weather conditions.
As authorities continue to assess structural stability and complete debris clearance, the landslide has highlighted the vulnerability of major infrastructure projects to intense monsoon activity, reinforcing the urgent need for enhanced geological safeguards and resilient engineering in critical transport corridors.

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