Synopsis: Around 30 trains are cancelled with Mumbai-Pune railway corridor disrupted till July 17, after three of its lines collapsed due to a landslide at the Bhor Ghat Section. The MSRTC has added 200 more bus trips to their existing schedules to help the commuters affected by this disruption.
The train services between Mumbai and Pune would continue to be suspended for the next week too, with the Central Railway cancelling about 30 trains on this route from July 10 to July 17. In view of this, MSRTC has added an additional 200 bus trips to help the commuters.
What Actually Happened
Heavy rains was the key reason behind the landslides along the Bhor Ghat section, the steep and winding route between Karjat and Lonavala on July 6. All three lines that cross the ghat, the Up line going towards Mumbai, the Down line going towards Pune and a Middle line which is utilized for the traffic control, were affected by the slides near Thakurwadi and Monkey Hill cabins.
Key Services Affected
Central Railway has suspended a mix of daily, dated and special services on this route between July 10 and July 17, the key services are,
- Deccan Queen
- Deccan Express
- Intercity Express (Mumbai-Pune)
- CSMT-Hyderabad Express
- Chennai Egmore Superfast Mail
- Hubbali-Dadar Express
- Mahalaxmi Express
- Jodhpur-Hadapsar Express
- Dadar-Satara Express
- Dadar-Sainagar Shirdi Express
- Including the special services connecting Mumbai and Pune with Gorakhpur, Ghazipur City, and Hazrat Nizamuddin
Commuters and passengers are advised to keep checking the NTES app or the Central Railway’s official channels for the current status of the respective train before heading out.
MSRTC Steps In With 200 Extra Buses
Maharashtra’s transport minister announced that MSRTC will run 200 additional bus trips daily on the Mumbai-Pune route, to help the commuters. Bus depots and regional offices have been directed to deploy even more services if passenger demand climbs further.
Other Alternate Routes and Options for Commuters
Beyond the added bus capacity, a few other options have opened up for those needing to travel between Mumbai and Pune,
- Diverted rail routes: A number of long-distance trains that would normally run through Bhor Ghat are being routed instead through Kalyan, Igatpuri, Manmad and the Daund Chord Line before reaching Pune.
- Mumbai-Pune Expressway and old highway: The road routes are available, but due to heavy rains and increasing traffic, a slow movement is plausible.
- Shared cabs: Shared cab services between the two cities can be an option for commuters.
- Refunds: Passengers holding tickets for cancelled trains can claim full refunds online through IRCTC and those with counter tickets can do so at any railway reservation office within three days of the journey date.
Restoration Work: Where Things Stand
As from the recent updates, only one of the three affected railway lines has been restored, with work continuing on the remaining two. Due to the difficult terrain and the risks of working in an active landslide zone as key reasons the restoration might take some time.
