Overview
- A rain‑triggered landslide struck the approach to Tunnel 2 on Monday, blocking the Pune‑bound carriageway of the 13.3 km Missing Link and forcing an 18‑hour closure.
- MSRDC and contractor crews cleared debris by late Monday and reopened two of four Pune‑bound lanes after joint inspections while water still flows across the remaining lanes.
- Officials say the tunnel itself is structurally safe and damage was limited to a retaining/ornamental false frame at the portal rather than the tunnel lining.
- MSRDC blames exceptionally heavy rainfall for the collapse, but engineers note rockfall protection was installed only about 15 metres above the portal while boulders fell from roughly 150 metres up the slope.
- The authority has requested a fresh safety and geological assessment from IIT Bombay and faces growing public and expert demands for an independent probe and clearer accountability for the Rs 6,695–7,000 crore project.