Thane rains: Key bridges in Kalyan submerged, authorities divert traffic amid rising water levels

Torrential rainfall in Maharashtras Thane district has submerged two key bridges in Kalyan taluka disrupting road connectivity and forcing authorities to divert traffic as water levels continued to rise on ThursdayOfficials said the heavy downpour caused rivers and streams to swell rendering critical bridges unsafe for vehicular movement Authorities have urged residents to avoid waterlogged areas and follow official advisories as the region continues to experience intense rainfallRunde bridge closed after Kalu river overflowsAccording to Kalyan Tehsildar Vikas Garudkar the Runde bridge on the TitwalaFalegaon road was completely submerged around 8 am after the water level in the Kalu river rose sharplyAs a precautionary measure to ensure public safety the Runde bridge has been completely closed to all vehicular traffic Garudkar saidThe closure has affected connectivity between several villages in the area prompting authorities to implement traffic diversionsWalkasVehare bridge also shut to trafficThe WalkasVehare bridge in Kalyan taluka was also submerged following continuous rainfall and has remained closed to traffic for several hoursOfficials said the bridge became impassable due to rising water levels making it unsafe for commuters and vehiclesThe district administration is closely monitoring river levels and assessing conditions before allowing traffic to resume on either bridgeAlternate route opened for commutersTo minimise inconvenience the administration has opened an alternative route for residents travelling to and from Runde and Falegaon villagesFor residents travelling to and from Runde and Falegaon villages the alternative Danbav via Khadavli road route is open and fully operational Garudkar saidAuthorities have advised motorists to use only designated diversion routes and avoid attempting to cross flooded roads or bridgesAdministration monitors rising water levelsOfficials said water levels in local rivers and streams continue to be monitored as heavy rainfall persists across the districtResidents have been urged to remain alert avoid unnecessary travel and comply with instructions issued by local authorities until the situation improvesHeavy rainfall triggers tree fall incidentsApart from disrupting transportation the heavy rains also led to multiple incidents of tree falls across Thane districtAccording to officials from the district disaster control room several vehicles and houses sustained damage after trees were uprooted by strong winds and heavy rainfall However no casualties were reported in any of the incidentsEmergency response teams were deployed to clear fallen trees and restore normal movement in the affected areasThane records nearly 100 mm rainfall in 24 hoursData released by the Thane Municipal Corporations Regional Disaster Management Cell showed that Thane city received 9932 mm of rainfall during the 24hour period ending at 830 am on ThursdayRegional Disaster Management Cell chief Yasin Tadvi said the citys cumulative rainfall for the current monsoon season has reached 189378 mm significantly higher than the 127048 mm recorded during the corresponding period last yearWith inputs from PTI