2 hr block on Mumbai-Pune Expressway arm to remove boulders from landslide

After a landslide occurred on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway near Kamshet tunnel, the debris was completely cleared in the early hours of Friday, and all three lanes towards the state capital were closed for traffic for two hours in the afternoon, an official said.The landslide took place around 8 pm on Thursday, which affected the vehicular traffic towards Mumbai, he said.

Soon after the landslide, one of the three lanes towards Mumbai was closed to remove the debris and mud. Later, one more lane was shut, the official said. "The landslide debris was completely cleared by 2 am on Friday, but as some soil is still falling at the spot, a team is set to carry out an inspection. Therefore, one lane was kept shut for traffic, while two others were operational," a highway police official said. From 2 pm, a block was conducted as all three lanes towards Mumbai were closed for vehicular movement to remove stones and boulders which had rolled down the hills, he said.

The block is operational till 4 pm, the official added.

On July 23, another landslide amid incessant rains near the Adoshi tunnel had disrupted traffic between the Talegaon-Urse section of the expressway. The 95-km expressway connecting the two major cities of Maharashtra - Mumbai and Pune - passes through the Sahyadri mountain ranges and is dotted with tunnels.