Malshej Ghat, one of Maharashtra’s most visited monsoon tourist destinations, has been closed to all vehicular traffic after a damaged stretch of National Highway 61 (NH-61) developed severe subsidence, prompting authorities to restrict movement over safety concerns, according to Indianexpress.com.
The closure affects the Ahilyanagar-Kalyan section of NH-61 and comes amid continuing heavy rainfall, with authorities warning that further movement of vehicles could increase the risk of a larger collapse.
Heavy rain, erosion blamed for damage to NH-61 stretch
According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the damaged portion is located between kilometre marks 99/500 and 99/600 near Karanjale village in Junnar taluka on the Kalyan-Murbad-Ahilyanagar section of NH-61.
The affected highway, which was upgraded to a two-lane concrete road in 2023, suffered major structural damage after the subgrade beneath the pavement gave way, affecting nearly 100 metres of the road.
According to Indianexpress.com, NHAI said excavation carried out on adjoining private agricultural land allegedly weakened the foundation of a gabion retaining wall constructed alongside the highway. Continuous heavy rainfall then washed away soil from the slope, leading to erosion beneath the retaining wall and the subsequent failure of the highway subgrade.
The authority informed the Highway Traffic Police that continued vehicular movement on the damaged section could pose a threat to life and property. Following the communication, the Pune unit of the Highway Traffic Police announced the closure of the Malshej Ghat stretch until further orders.
Authorities said the left carriageway had already been closed, with traffic being regulated on the remaining side before the complete shutdown. However, continued rainfall raised concerns over additional structural damage, prompting the closure of the route.
Alternative routes announced as tourist traffic likely to be affected
Motorists travelling towards Mumbai and Kalyan have been advised to avoid the Malshej Ghat route and instead use the Alephata-Rajgurunagar-Chakan-Talegaon MIDC-Lonavala-Mumbai route or the Alephata-Sangamner-Nashik-Kasara-Kalyan-Mumbai route until the highway is declared safe.
Situated in the northern Western Ghats, Malshej Ghat attracts thousands of visitors during the monsoon season for its waterfalls, mist-covered valleys, lush green landscapes and trekking trails.
The closure is also expected to impact freight movement, as the NH-61 corridor serves as an important road link connecting western Maharashtra with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Traffic restrictions are expected to remain in place until repair work is completed and the damaged section is certified safe for public use.