07 July,2026 09:44 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Lonavala, a popular hill station in Pune district, recorded nearly 670 mm of rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 7 am on Monday, according to official data. Pic/PTI
Heavy rainfall in Lonavala triggered multiple landslides along the Karjat-Lonavala ghat section on the Mumbai-Pune railway line, severely affecting train operations over the last two days, officials said.
Lonavala, a popular hill station in Pune district, recorded nearly 670 mm of rainfall in the 24-hour period ending at 7 am on Monday, according to official data. The intense downpour caused landslides at several vulnerable locations and damaged railway tracks, forcing authorities to cancel, divert and reschedule multiple trains.
Officials said Pune district witnessed landslides at 22 locations in two days due to continuous heavy rainfall. The ghat section alone received around 300 mm of rainfall on Sunday, creating challenging conditions for railway operations and restoration teams.
Central Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila said the first landslide was reported near Thakurwadi, affecting all three railway lines in the ghat section. Another landslide occurred between Monkey Hill and Khandala, further impacting movement on the busy Mumbai-Pune route.
"About 160 mm of rain fell in the first four hours on Sunday, leading to landslides at multiple vulnerable locations. The first landslide occurred near Thakurwadi, impacting all three lines in Bhor Ghat, followed by another between Monkey Hill and Khandala," he pointed out.
Officials said a tree also fell on the down main line near Khandala station later in the day, adding to the disruption.
"Tracks have suffered extensive damage at some locations but prompt restoration work has been undertaken despite incessant rain in the ghat section," Nila said.
The Central Railway had deployed watchmen at vulnerable spots in the ghat section due to the heavy rainfall. Officials said timely alerts from railway staff helped prevent any train from being affected by the landslides.
No passengers were injured in the incidents.
At the time of the landslides, the Daund-Gwalior Express was stopped near Khandala, while the Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Bengaluru Express was halted near Thakurwadi. Both trains were later safely moved back to Lonavala and Karjat stations around 6.15 am on Monday.
The landslides caused major disruptions to railway services. According to Central Railway, 27 trains, including four suburban services between Palasdari and Lonavala, were cancelled. Officials said 57 trains were diverted, 19 were short-terminated, 15 short-originated and four were rescheduled till late Monday evening.
Railway authorities deployed nearly 200 workers in the affected ghat section for restoration operations and were arranging additional manpower to speed up the work.
Train services between Karjat and Khopoli in Raigad district partially resumed on Monday evening after being suspended for nearly 12 hours. Officials said services were affected due to ballast washout caused by heavy rainfall between Lowjee and Dolavli stations.
The Karjat-Khopoli section forms an important part of Mumbai's suburban rail network and is used daily by thousands of commuters travelling for work.
(With inputs from PTI)
