Two lanes of Mumbai-Pune Missing Link reopen after 18-hour closure due to landslide and heavy rain
Traffic on two of the four lanes of the Mumbai-Pune Missing Link has resumed after an 18-hour disruption caused by a landslide and heavy monsoon rains, authorities said on Monday. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) reopened the Pune-to-Mumbai carriageway after safety inspections confirmed the route was secure.
The Missing Link, a ₹6,695-crore project inaugurated in May 2026 to bypass a notorious traffic bottleneck on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, faced its first major monsoon-induced closure. A landslide damaged a retaining structure near one of its tunnels, forcing the complete shutdown of the Pune-to-Mumbai stretch from Sunday night.
Officials stated that only two of the four lanes have been opened, as water continues to flow over the remaining lanes. A highway police statement confirmed that road safety engineers and the construction company certified the reopened section as safe for travel.
The disruption coincided with record rainfall in the region. Lonavala received 670 mm of rain in 24 hours, while Mumbai surpassed its average July rainfall in just six days. Pune recorded 108 mm of rain between Sunday and Monday morning, the fourth-highest for July since 1896.
Authorities have urged commuters to avoid non-essential travel and adhere to traffic advisories, as heavy rainfall is expected to continue. The MSRDC and highway police are monitoring the situation and will reopen the remaining lanes once conditions improve.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of infrastructure projects to extreme weather events, even as the Missing Link was designed to reduce travel time and congestion. Long-term solutions, including improved drainage and slope stabilization, may be needed to prevent future disruptions.
