Landslides have blocked various parts of the Raigad district.

Landslides have blocked various parts of the Raigad district.

Landslides have blocked various parts of the Raigad district.

Due to the massive downpour in the Raigad district of Maharashtra on Tuesday and Wednesday, which is considered one of the highest ever, the popular hill station of Mahteran in the region has been almost submerged in water. Matheran, Asia's only automobile-free hill station, recorded 438 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours. IMD has advised caution as intermittent rains are likely to continue in the region. Here's what tourists should know before travelling to Matheran and adjoining regions experiencing heavy showers:
1) A Yellow Watch for Heavy Rainfall is in effect in the region. Persistent rain and stormy weather are expected from today till next week. 

2) Landslides have blocked various parts of the Raigad district. Many trails, ghat roads and paths are currently inaccessible or unsafe. Many areas are also restricted due to inclement weather. 
3) Horse rides, viewpoints, markets, hand-pulled rickshaws and various water-related tourist spots have temporarily restricted operations due to the weather. While there is no official closure instruction yet, check whether they are operational before leaving for the place. 

4) The Neral - Matheran toy train route has already been suspended for the monsoon season due to landslide risks, washouts and track damage. There are limited shuttle services between Matheran and Aman Lodge. 
5) Consult with your tourism operator and hotel before proceeding with your plans to ensure safety. 
6) Mumbai's monorail service, which was halted on Tuesday night, has resumed now. 

Release of water from Pavana Dam due to heavy rainfall is also causing floods in the Pimpri Chinchwad in Pune, disrupting traffic, blocking streams and damaging buildings. The 'Pimpri-chinchwad floods' also has more than 20K searches on Google Trends in the past 20 minutes.

ADVERTISEMENT