For thousands of commuters between Mumbai and Pune, the Deccan Queen is more than just a train — it’s a routine, a meeting point and, for many, a way of life. So when the iconic service disappears from the timetable, passengers know it is not routine.

Heavy rain-triggered landslides in the Karjat-Lonavala ghat section on Monday forced the cancellation of the 96-year-old Deccan Queen along with several other Mumbai-Pune trains. Damage to tracks at nine locations has kept services suspended.