Maharashtra's Minister for Women and Child Development, Aditi Tatkare, on Monday, 6 July convened an emergency review of the flood situation in Raigad, Ratnagiri, and other rain-battered districts at the State Emergency Operations Centre in the Mantralaya, Mumbai. The review was conducted alongside State Disaster Management Director Bhalchandra Chavan, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a Red Alert predicting heavy to extremely heavy rainfall across both coastal districts for the next two days.

Next 48 Hours Declared Critical

Minister Tatkare described the next 48 hours as highly critical for Raigad and Ratnagiri, directing local administrations to implement all precautionary measures without delay. A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been stationed at Mahad and placed on standby. A formal request has also been made to deploy an additional 145 rescue personnel in the Sudhagad and Roha regions to ensure rapid emergency response.

The minister confirmed she is in regular contact with ground-level organisations operating in Karjat and Khopoli, and assured that the state government will provide these groups with all required resources. Their services may be extended to other affected parts of the district if the situation demands.

Mumbai-Goa Highway Paralysed for Over 32 Hours

The monsoon crisis has delivered a severe blow to state transport. The Mumbai-Goa National Highway remained paralysed for more than 32 hours, with thousands of commuters stranded in the Raigad district segment. The gridlock began on the morning of 5 July after heavy rainwater accumulated near Sukeli Khind, close to Nagothane, creating tailbacks stretching 7 to 8 kilometres on both sides of the highway.

Stranded passengers reported a complete absence of basic amenities — no access to food, drinking water, or restrooms — triggering widespread anger and frustration among those trapped.

Landslide Near Khavati Village Cleared After 14 Hours

In a partial relief for commuters, a massive landslide that had blocked the Mumbai-Goa Highway near Khavati village in the Khed taluka of Ratnagiri district was cleared after 14 hours of continuous work. The Highway Construction Department deployed three Poclain excavators and JCB machines to remove the debris. Vehicular movement has since resumed, though traffic is being managed at a slow, cautious pace. Heavy commercial vehicles, private passenger buses, and stranded light vehicles have begun moving towards their destinations.

State on High Alert; Citizens Urged to Stay Indoors

Minister Tatkare affirmed that the State Emergency Operations Centre is continuously monitoring the situation in coordination with local administrations, with all security and rescue agencies fully mobilised. She appealed to citizens across Maharashtra to avoid stepping out unless absolutely necessary and urged people to refrain from non-essential travel. This comes amid a broader pattern of monsoon-related disruptions that have historically hit Raigad and Ratnagiri hard due to their exposure to the Arabian Sea coastline and ghat terrain. With the IMD Red Alert in force and rescue deployments still being scaled up, conditions across both districts are expected to remain volatile through the week.