A landslide in the Karjat-Lonavala ghat section on July 6 damaged all three railway lines on one of India’s busiest commuter and long-distance corridors, forcing the cancellation of roughly 30 of the usual 60 daily Pune-Mumbai trains, according to the Free Press Journal. Cancelled services include marquee trains such as the Deccan Queen, Sinhagad Express, Pragati Express, Indrayani Express, and the Pune-CSMT Intercity Express. In response, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation started running 200 extra daily bus trips between the two cities from July 13, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced, per the same report.

A ghat section under repair, mid-monsoon

The middle of the three damaged lines, between Monkey Hill and Thakurwadi, reopened on July 7 under a 30 kmph speed restriction, but the other two lines remain under repair, per Pune Pulse’s coverage of the disruption. The Karjat-Lonavala stretch climbs through the Sahyadris via a series of tunnels and embankments that are routinely vulnerable during heavy monsoon rain, and Central Railway crews work under difficult conditions each year to keep the ghat section open. Coverage from The Chenab Times notes railway officials expect disruptions on the route to continue through July 17, though full restoration has not been confirmed publicly.

MSRTC’s response layers 200 ordinary bus trips on top of its existing 312 scheduled e-Shivneri premium services, which already run 36 trips a day on the corridor. The corporation added six extra Asiad buses over the preceding weekend as demand climbed, and state transport officials have indicated more buses will be deployed if passenger numbers keep rising.

What it means for commuters

For the tens of thousands who travel between Pune and Mumbai for work, medical care, or family reasons, the cancelled trains mean longer, costlier journeys during an already wet and unpredictable commute. A Shivneri seat costs around ₹510, several times a typical second-class rail fare, and even with 200 extra ordinary trips, road capacity cannot fully replace 30 cancelled trains carrying hundreds of passengers each. Expressway traffic, already strained by monsoon conditions and past landslide closures on the route, is likely to absorb much of the overflow.

The disruption also revives a familiar seasonal pattern: the same ghat section has faced monsoon-related closures in previous years, and this incident again exposes how a single stretch of track can bottleneck the state’s busiest intercity corridor. Average Shivneri occupancy typically sits near 50% on weekdays and rises from Friday onward, so weekday travellers may find seats more easily than weekend ones over the coming days.

What to watch next

• Whether Central Railway confirms a firm date for full restoration of both remaining damaged lines.
• Whether MSRTC adds further bus trips if the July 17 timeline slips.
• Any longer-term reinforcement work on the ghat section to reduce repeat monsoon damage.

Sources: Free Press Journal, Pune Pulse, The Chenab Times

This report was compiled and written with AI assistance from publicly reported sources, and reviewed for accuracy.