MUMBAI — Heavy monsoon rains triggered landslides and widespread flooding across parts of western India on Monday, forcing authorities to close key highways linking Mumbai and Pune, suspend rail services through the Western Ghats and issue travel advisories as emergency crews worked to clear debris and restore transport links.
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation and police halted traffic on both the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the old Mumbai-Pune highway after landslides, waterlogging and structural damage created hazardous conditions in the Bhor Ghat section. Authorities urged residents to avoid non-essential travel between the state's two largest cities until further notice.
Central Railway said heavy rainfall triggered multiple landslides in the Karjat-Lonavala section, affecting all three rail lines through the ghat and leading to the cancellation, diversion and regulation of several long-distance passenger services. Restoration teams were deployed to remove debris and inspect the tracks before operations could safely resume.
Heavy rain also disrupted normal life across Mumbai and surrounding districts, with flooded roads, delays to flights and the closure of schools in several areas. Local authorities continued rescue and drainage operations while monitoring low-lying neighborhoods vulnerable to additional flooding.
The India Meteorological Department issued a red alert for Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts, warning of extremely heavy rainfall, localized flooding, landslides and strong winds. The weather agency said intense monsoon conditions were expected to persist, increasing the risk of rockfalls and mudslides in hilly terrain and along major transport corridors.
Separately, flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall disrupted the Doda-Kishtwar highway in the northern union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, burying several vehicles in mud and debris near the under-construction Kwar Hydroelectric Project, according to local authorities. No fatalities were immediately reported there, and road-clearing operations were underway.
The transport disruptions came after persistent monsoon rains battered Maharashtra over recent days. In Mumbai, at least six people, including five children, died after a group of residential buildings collapsed in the city's eastern suburbs, with authorities linking the incident to the prolonged rainfall.
Officials said emergency personnel would continue clearing landslide debris, assessing damaged infrastructure and monitoring weather conditions before deciding when to reopen affected highways and fully restore rail services.
