Mumbai-Pune Missing Link Reopens After 19-Hour Closure

Traffic on the Pune-to-Mumbai carriageway of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway’s Missing Link project resumed late Monday night after remaining closed for nearly 19 hours following a major landslide caused by heavy rainfall.

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The incident occurred around 3:00 AM when a massive landslide struck the second tunnel of the Missing Link project. A portion of the tunnel arch collapsed, sending rocks, mud, water, and debris crashing onto the bridge below. As a precaution, the Pune-bound carriageway was immediately closed, while emergency response teams from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) launched a large-scale clearance operation.

Initially, MSRDC officials had estimated that the debris would be cleared within five hours. However, continuous heavy rain and the complex task of cutting and removing the collapsed tunnel structure significantly delayed the restoration work.

After more than 14 hours of intensive debris removal, the damaged section was finally cleared by around 5:30 PM. Engineers then carried out detailed structural and safety inspections to ensure the tunnel was safe for traffic.

Following the successful completion of all technical assessments, the Pune-to-Mumbai carriageway was reopened at 10:10 PM, restoring normal traffic movement on both carriageways of the Missing Link project.

MSRDC Managing Director Anilkumar Gaikwad confirmed that vehicles are now moving smoothly on the route and that the corridor has been fully restored after an operation lasting nearly 19 hours.