Monsoon Fury Cuts Off Mumbai-Pune Lifeline; Landslides Halt Trains, Shut Expressway; Schools Closed

Heavy monsoon rain cut key links between Mumbai and Pune on Monday, July 6, after landslides and flooding hit both rail and road routes through the ghat section. Train services between the two cities were suspended, while traffic on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and the old highway was stopped or diverted in affected stretches.

The disruption came after an intense rain spell battered Mumbai, Thane, Pune and adjoining districts through the weekend. Authorities also reported a fatal chawl collapse in Mankhurd, severe waterlogging in parts of Mumbai, school closures across several districts and continuing weather alerts from the India Meteorological Department.

Mumbai-Pune rail and road links hit by landslides

Central Railway said train services between Mumbai and Pune were suspended after landslides in the Bhor Ghat section. The route is among the busiest inter-city corridors in Maharashtra, carrying daily commuters, long-distance passengers and freight movement between the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and western Maharashtra.

Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed the situation after reports of heavy landslides and falling boulders on railway tracks in the Mumbai-Pune ghat section. Restoration teams have been asked to clear the affected stretch, even as heavy rainfall is forecast to continue in parts of the region.

Road connectivity was also badly affected. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation said traffic on the Pune-to-Mumbai carriageway of the Pune-Mumbai Connecting Link Road was diverted from 4 am after a landslide near the exit of Tunnel 2. Officials said the diversion was a precautionary measure and no casualties or injuries had been reported there.

Police later advised commuters to avoid travel between Pune and Mumbai until further notice. The Pune-Mumbai Expressway was closed between the Connecting Link and Missing Link sections after a concrete pillar fell on the carriageway. The old Pune-Mumbai highway was also shut because of overflowing water at multiple locations.

Six dead in Mankhurd chawl collapse

In Mumbai, six people, including four children, died after two to three shanties within a ground-plus-three structure collapsed in Janata Nagar, Mankhurd, on Sunday evening. Civic officials said the incident was reported around 8.30 pm at Chawl No. 5, behind Hanuman Mandir, amid continuous heavy rain.

Personnel from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, police, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation ward staff and the 108 ambulance service were deployed at the site. Victims were taken to Shatabdi Hospital and Rajawadi Hospital, where six people were declared dead. One injured person was admitted to Rajawadi Hospital and was reported stable.

State minister Girish Mahajan said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced compensation of ₹4 lakh for the relatives of each deceased person. Mahajan also said an inquiry would examine how the structure was built, whether permissions were in place and what led to the collapse.

The deaths have sharpened questions about vulnerable housing in Mumbai’s informal settlements during the monsoon. Heavy rain often exposes structural risks in ageing buildings, unauthorised extensions and densely packed chawls, especially where drainage is poor and rescue access is limited.

Schools shut, exams postponed as Mumbai rain alert continues

The Maharashtra government declared a holiday for schools and colleges in Mumbai on Monday after the IMD issued an orange alert for heavy rain and strong winds. Schools were also ordered shut in Pune district, Thane and Navi Mumbai as a precaution for students and staff.

The University of Mumbai postponed all examinations scheduled for July 6. The revised timetable will be released later on the university’s official website. Students have been advised to check official updates rather than rely on unverified messages circulating during weather emergencies.

At 6.32 am on Monday, Mumbai recorded 27°C, with 97% humidity and westerly winds blowing at 14.8 kmph, according to IMD data cited in official updates. The city remained under overcast skies after overnight rain, and Andheri subway saw severe waterlogging during the morning hours.

The BMC had earlier recorded more than 200 mm of rainfall at several locations in the 24 hours ending Sunday morning. Vikhroli West logged 310.6 mm, while Colaba Pumping Station recorded 306.6 mm. Several areas, including Malabar Hill, Powai, Bhandup, Andheri, Jogeshwari and Goregaon, crossed the 200 mm mark.

Mumbai airport operations were also affected on Sunday. Runway operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were suspended from 10.17 am to 11.17 am because of heavy rain, reduced visibility and gusty winds. Airport officials said normal operations resumed after weather conditions improved.

Rain-related incidents raise safety concerns

The weekend rain triggered several serious incidents across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. A 63-year-old man, Yunus Kundawala, died after a tree collapsed on a shop in Kurla West. In another incident, an 18-year-old motorcyclist died after a tree branch fell on him in Aarey Colony, Goregaon East.

Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde announced ₹5 lakh assistance for Kundawala’s family and directed the BMC to conduct a city-wide tree audit. She also called for checks of old trees, trees near cement concrete roads and manholes, including covers and safety grilles.

Civic data showed 203 complaints of tree and branch falls were registered across Mumbai between 8 am and 6 pm on Sunday. Such figures underline the wider risk during intense rain spells, when saturated soil, gusty winds and poorly maintained trees can endanger pedestrians, motorists and homes.

Residents have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from waterlogged roads, seafronts, rivers, streams and landslide-prone areas, and follow police, railway and civic advisories. For commuters between Mumbai and Pune, the immediate priority remains restoration of the ghat section and safe reopening of road and rail routes once authorities complete inspections.