Mumbai-Pune rail disruption: 30 trains cancelled till July 17 after heavy rain triggers landslides. Check list here

Rail services on the busy Mumbai-Pune corridor will remain disrupted until July 17 after landslides in the Bhor Ghat section damaged railway tracks, prompting the Central Railway to cancel 30 long-distance and intercity train services.

According to railway officials, heavy rainfall on July 6 triggered multiple landslides between Karjat and Lonavala stations, damaging all three railway lines. The worst-affected areas are near the Thakurwadi and Monkey Hill cabins in the ghat section.

Officials said restoration work is being carried out on a war footing. However, the challenging terrain and unsafe working conditions have slowed efforts to restore normal train operations.

In a statement, the Central Railway said the cancellations include 14 daily trains, eight services on specified dates and eight special trains.

The affected daily services include the Deccan Queen, Deccan Express, Intercity Express trains between Mumbai and Pune, the CSMT-Hyderabad Express, Chennai Egmore Superfast Mail and the Hubbali-Dadar Express. These trains will remain cancelled from July 10 to July 17.

Apart from this, trains such as the Mahalaxmi Express, Jodhpur-Hadapsar Express, Dadar-Satara Express and Dadar-Sainagar Shirdi Express have been cancelled on specified dates during the period.

Several special trains connecting Mumbai and Pune with Gorakhpur, Ghazipur City and Hazrat Nizamuddin have also been cancelled, the release stated.

MSRTC adds 200 extra bus trips

Meanwhile, state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik on Friday said Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation will operate 200 additional bus trips daily on the Mumbai-Pune route from Saturday to ease passenger inconvenience due to the train cancellations.

Sarnaik said MSRTC will operate the additional services alongside its scheduled 312 e-Shivneri bus trips between Mumbai and Pune.

A release said MSRTC depots and regional offices have been directed to operate more buses, if required, depending on passenger demand, to ensure commuters do not face inconvenience.

"MSRTC has always stood by people during times of crisis. The corporation is fully geared up to ensure uninterrupted travel for passengers affected by the disruption in railway services," the minister said.

Passenger safety, convenience and timely services remain our top priority, and additional buses will be deployed wherever necessary, he added.

The additional bus services are expected to provide relief to thousands of passengers travelling between Mumbai and Pune until normal railway operations resume, officials said.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday reviewed the restoration work and noted that the landslides were "heavy" and had caused "significant" damage to the railway lines and the surrounding area.

The Mumbai-Pune route has three tracks in the difficult Bhor Ghat section or Khandala Ghat - the Up Line (towards Mumbai), the Down Line (towards Pune), and a Middle Line.

According to officials, transporting construction material to some locations remains a challenge, and railway teams are coordinating with the district administration and the forest department to restore the lines at the earliest.

Railways issue passenger advisory

One of the three railway lines has been restored, and work is underway on the other two, they said.

"Senior officers at the site are closely monitoring the restoration work, and all efforts are being made to normalise train services at the earliest," the release stated.

Passengers have been advised to contact the railway helpline or check the NTES app for information. Regular updates are also being shared through the railway's official social media platforms, it added.

(With inputs from news agency PTI)