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🇮🇳 India /Disasters & Emergencies

Launched in May, partly shut after landslide: All about 'Missing Link' connecting Mumbai and Pune

From Hindustan Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • The 'Missing Link,' a highway connecting Mumbai and Pune, was partially closed due to a landslide near a tunnel exit shortly after its May inauguration.
  • The landslide occurred during heavy rainfall, causing mud and silt to cover parts of the road, with clearance operations underway.
  • Opposition leaders criticized the Maharashtra government over the project's condition, citing cost escalations and early issues, while the government touted its economic potential.

The recently inaugurated 'Missing Link' highway, designed to connect Mumbai and Pune, faced an early setback when a landslide forced its partial closure. The incident occurred near a tunnel exit on the Mumbai-bound lane during heavy monsoon rains.

While the rest of the connecting link remains intact, traffic has been halted only at the tunnel exit due to the landslide, and clearance operations are currently underway. The situation is expected to be resolved within the next 4-5 hours.

— Rakesh SonawaneThe MSRDC Executive Engineer provided an update on the situation following the landslide.

Videos circulating on social media showed rainwater cascading down and mud covering sections of the road. Bulldozers were deployed to clear the debris. MSRDC Executive Engineer Rakesh Sonawane stated that while the rest of the link remained intact, traffic was halted only at the tunnel exit. He anticipated the situation would be resolved within four to five hours.

The Missing Link between Mumbai and Pune is no more missing!

— Devendra FadnavisThe Maharashtra Chief Minister's statement at the project's inauguration.

The 'Missing Link,' a 13.3 km stretch developed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) at a reported cost of ₹7,000 crore, was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in May. Fadnavis had hailed it as an 'engineering marvel' and an 'iconic project,' predicting it could generate an economy worth ₹70,000 crore by boosting investments and industrial growth.

For all the “infra watchers and believers”, the cost of this link has been escalated by thousands of crores. It has now had a landslide and much more within 2 months of its checks and inaugurations.

— Aaditya ThackerayThe Shiv Sena (UBT) leader criticized the project's condition and cost after the landslide.

However, the landslide quickly drew criticism from opposition leaders. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray questioned the project's integrity, noting the landslide occurred within months of its inauguration and citing alleged cost escalations. Thackeray also shared his experience of using the road, describing its surface as uneven and undulating, likening the ride to being on a boat.

Using it while on the way to Pune and back, I noticed and stated publicly also that not even 50 ft of the road is flat. It is all undulated and feels like one is sitting in a boat, riding the waves.

— Aaditya ThackerayThackeray described the road's condition based on his personal experience.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hindustan Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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