Maharashtra Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Shivendrasinharaje Bhosale on Monday conducted an on-site inspection of the landslide that struck near the entry point of the Mumbai-Pune Missing Link project, accompanied by senior officials from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the police administration, and other concerned departments. The minister confirmed that the tunnel itself has sustained no structural damage, even as debris clearance operations continue on a war footing.

What Triggered the Landslide

Minister Bhosale, speaking to reporters after surveying the site, said that sustained heavy rainfall over the preceding days caused a sudden shift in the natural water flow, triggering a large downhill movement of rocks and soil. A section of the decorative slab at the tunnel's entry point and a portion of the protective retaining wall collapsed as a result.

Notably, this stretch had no prior history of landslides, making the incident particularly unexpected, according to officials.

Damage Assessment and Expert Review

'Due to the ongoing heavy downpour and dense fog, it is currently impossible to get an accurate assessment of the conditions at the top of the hill. A detailed technical inspection will be carried out by experts once the rain subsides. Decisions regarding what caused the sudden change in the water flow and the permanent preventive measures needed to avoid such incidents in the future will be taken based on that expert report,' said Minister Bhosale.

The minister directed all concerned agencies to expedite debris clearance and stressed that public safety would remain the overriding consideration in all decisions going forward.

Scale of the Debris and Road Status

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who separately reviewed the debris removal effort and assessed the broader rainfall situation across Maharashtra, told reporters that approximately 100 tonnes of debris had accumulated at the landslide site. Of this, around 70 tonnes had already been cleared by the time of his briefing, with remaining blockages being addressed rapidly.

As of the latest update, three lanes on the corridor heading towards Pune have been reopened to traffic. However, on the corridor towards Mumbai, only a single lane remains operational. Emergency teams were working to restore additional lanes, with the Chief Minister indicating restoration efforts were targeting completion within the next hour and a half.

Government Advisory to Commuters

Chief Minister Fadnavis appealed to citizens to avoid travelling on the Mumbai-Pune route unless absolutely necessary. He urged commuters to follow traffic police guidance strictly and rely only on official information channels. The final decision on full road reopening will be taken jointly by the police administration and MSRDC after a thorough safety evaluation, Minister Bhosale confirmed.

With expert assessment pending and monsoon conditions persisting, the timeline for complete normalisation of the corridor remains subject to weather and technical clearance.