Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link Tunnel 2 Landslide

operational with disruption due to landslide

The Rs 6,695-crore Mumbai-Pune Expressway 'missing link' project suffered a major disruption due to a landslide at the entrance of Tunnel 2 during heavy monsoon rains. The landslide caused rocks, mud, and boulders to fall near the tunnel portal, damaging the false frame structure and blocking the road, leading to an 18-hour closure and traffic chaos. The slope above the tunnel had been stabilized with rock bolts and steel mesh, but the boulders originated from much higher up the hillside, beyond the protected area. Water accumulated on the hillside also found a new route through the tunnel portal, causing additional damage. Experts noted that while the rainfall was unusually intense, engineering measures could have mitigated the impact, and the incident raises questions about the adequacy of the design for extreme rainfall events.