Rs 6,695-Crore Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link Route's Retaining Wall Damaged in Monsoon-Triggered Landslide Just Two Months After Inauguration

AS THE MONSOON HITS MAHARASHTRA, the state's battle with heavy rainfall, landslides, and their ripple effects has also impacted its infrastructure. Just weeks after the inauguration of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway's Missing Link in May 2026, the expressway, which was built to ease the lives of daily commuters, reportedly faced its first major hurdle on July 6, 2026. Heavy rainfall in the state triggered a landslide, damaging a retaining wall on the Missing Link and partially closing the route.

The Missing Link project, reportedly built at a cost of Rs 6,695 crore, was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Barely two months later, the project suffered its first major setback after heavy rainfall triggered landslides.

According to reports, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) described the infrastructural damage as an "act of God." MSRDC Vice Chairman Anilkumar Gaikwad said, as quoted by The Indian Express, "This is not the contractor's fault; it is nature at play.”

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Several users criticised the damage to the Missing Link, which occurred barely nine weeks after its inauguration. One user wrote, “It's not monsoon mayhem. It's proof of corruption, and morons like you, chasing your pay checks, think the public is foolish.”

What is the Missing Link project?

The Missing Link project features one of India’s longest road tunnels, as it has an 8.9-km-long tunnel. It spans 13.3 km and was built to avoid the old 19.8-km Khandala Ghat section. The older ghat section is located between Khopoli and Sinhgad Institute, and earlier, vehicles had to use it. It is regarded as a route with steep slopes and sharp bends. The older route often caused heavy traffic jams and accidents due to its terrain.

The new Missing Link is a connecting route that aims to address the issues of traffic congestion and accidents. Gaikwad had earlier stated that the Missing Link would make travel between Mumbai and Pune faster.

In the early hours of July 6, 2026, a landslide occurred near the first tunnel of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway Missing Link, damaging its retaining wall. Several videos have been circulating on the internet showing heavy rainwater flowing down one side of the tunnel. According to reports, following the damage to the retaining wall, officials closed the Pune-to-Mumbai lane.

The two-month-old connecting link between Mumbai and Pune reduces the distance between the two cities by 6 km. The Missing Link project began in 2019 but was approved by the Maharashtra Cabinet in 2017. The project was eventually delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Missing Link project's closure due to heavy rainfall and a landslide is not the first instance of an infrastructural setback. Earlier, reports of potholes emerged on the newly inaugurated Delhi-Dehradun Expressway. The 212-km expressway reportedly developed potholes in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, following heavy rainfall. Videos of the potholes on the Rs 12,000-crore, six-lane project quickly went viral on social media, prompting criticism over alleged corruption and infrastructural failure. The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 14, 2026. 

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(Edited by Harsh Pandey)

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