Mumbai University Exams Cancelled Amid Heavy Rain and Landslides, Traffic Halted

The state of Maharashtra, particularly the regions of Mumbai, Pune, and the surrounding Mumbai Metropolitan Area, is currently grappling with the severe impact of continuous heavy rainfall and multiple landslides. This extreme weather situation has led to significant disruptions in daily life and public services. In a major development, Mumbai University has officially announced the cancellation of all examinations that were scheduled to take place today, July 6. This decision comes as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students and staff amidst the worsening weather conditions. The university has stated that new dates for these postponed exams will be announced in the near future. Com programs.

Traffic Suspended Between Mumbai and Pune

The connectivity between the two major cities of Mumbai and Pune has been severely compromised due to the ongoing torrential rains and the resulting landslides, while authorities have reported that traffic movement on both the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway has been critically affected. As a safety measure, the movement of vehicles in both directions, from Pune to Mumbai and from Mumbai to Pune, has been completely halted until further notice. Citizens are being strongly urged by the administration to avoid any travel between these two cities for the time being. IGP Ranjan Kumar Sharma of the Kolhapur Range has issued a formal appeal to the public, asking them to postpone any planned travel between Pune and Mumbai due to the hazardous conditions.

Landslide at Patan Village Near Lohagad Fort

A distressing incident has been reported from Patan village, located near the historic Lohagad fort. A massive landslide occurred in this remote village situated in the Maval taluka of Pune early Monday morning. According to preliminary reports, a house was buried under the debris, and there are fears that an entire family residing there might be trapped. In response to this emergency, the local administration immediately initiated rescue operations. To bolster the efforts, assistance was sought from the NDRF 5th Battalion based in Pune. A specialized 30 member team, comprising 1 officer, 2 senior officers, and 27 jawans, was dispatched to the site at 5:50 AM. This team, led by Inspector Ravinder and supervised by Assistant Commandant Chandrakeetu Sharma, is equipped with necessary disaster management tools to carry out the rescue mission. As per the District Information Office in Pune, the operation is currently underway, and no official casualties have been confirmed yet.

Railway Services and Minister Review

The heavy rainfall has also taken a toll on the railway network. A landslide in the Karjat-Lonavala Ghat section has forced the Central Railway to cancel several trains and divert others, while passengers have been advised to check the current status of their trains before heading to the stations. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has personally reviewed the situation arising from the heavy landslides and falling boulders on the tracks in the Mumbai-Pune Ghat section. The Minister stated that restoration teams are fully prepared and ready for action. He noted that heavy rain is expected to continue today as well. Minister Vaishnaw has instructed officials from both Western and Central Railway to work cohesively as a single team to ensure the earliest possible restoration of all train services.

Local Train Status and Alternative Routes

Despite the challenges, local train services on the four corridors of the Central Railway are currently operational. On the Main line, trains are running with a delay of approximately 6 to 8 minutes. On the Harbor line, the delay is about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, services on the Trans-Harbor and Uran-Belapur lines are reported to be running according to their scheduled timings. However, alternative routes between Pune and Mumbai are also facing issues. Flooding has been reported in parts of Maval and the Tamhini Ghat area, which is impacting the roads used as alternatives to the main highways. On top of that, a significant landslide occurred on the Missing Link section of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway near the Khandala exit, leading to the complete closure of the Mumbai-bound lane. Efforts are ongoing to clear the path and resume traffic.