Pune, July 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Following a landslide near the entry point of the Mumbai-Pune Missing Link project, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Shivendrasinharaje Bhosale on Monday visited the spot to conduct an on-site inspection of the situation. Senior officials from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the police administration and other concerned departments accompanied the minister.
Speaking to reporters after evaluating the site, Minister Bhosale stated that the heavy rainfall over the last few days caused a sudden shift in the natural water flow, triggering a large flow of rocks and soil downhill.
He confirmed that the Missing Link tunnel itself has not sustained any damage. However, a section of the decorative slab at the entry point and a portion of the protective retaining wall collapsed in the incident.
“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.
As the work to remove the fallen slab and accumulated debris from the road is underway on a war footing, the minister has directed the concerned agencies to complete the clearance operations as quickly as possible. The final decision on whether to reopen the road to traffic will be made jointly by the police administration and MSRDC after a thorough safety evaluation, he said. He emphasised that all decisions will be taken, keeping public safety as the topmost priority.
Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters in Mumbai that the administrative machinery is currently working on a war footing to clear the debris. In light of the situation, he has appealed to citizens to avoid travelling on the Mumbai-Pune route unless absolutely necessary.
CM Fadnavis, who reviewed the ongoing debris removal work and also the situation arising from incessant rain across Maharashtra, told reporters that approximately 100 tonnes of debris had accumulated at the landslide site.
Notably, this incident occurred in an area that had never experienced a landslide before. So far, teams have successfully cleared about 70 tonnes of debris, and work is underway at a rapid pace to remove the remaining blockages, he said. Currently, three lanes on the corridor leading towards Pune have been opened for traffic. However, on the corridor heading towards Mumbai, traffic is functional through only a single lane.
The Chief Minister informed that emergency mechanisms are making concerted efforts to restore additional lanes within the next hour and a half. According to the CM, relevant departments, agencies and emergency response teams are working in close coordination. He has urged citizens to adhere to the administrative instructions, travel strictly according to the guidance provided by the traffic police, and rely only on official information.
Source: IANS
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