PM Modi's Pune Visit Cancelled Due To Heavy Rain Alert In Maharashtra

File Photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (ANI)

PM Modi Maharashtra Visit: Following heavy and incessant rainfall in parts of Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Pune on Thursday was cancelled. He was set to flag off the Metro train scheduled to run from the district court to Swargate in Pune. He was also scheduled to inaugurate, lay the foundation stone, and dedicate to the nation several projects worth over Rs 20,900 crore.

Several parts of Maharashtra witnessed severe waterlogging due to heavy rains. The incessant downpour severely affected train, bus, and flight services in Mumbai and Pune. On Thursday, train and bus services were restored in the morning as the water receded in many parts.

According to the Central Railways, all local trains are running normally. "On the main line, 3-4 minutes behind schedule because of rescheduled mail express movements and few cautions, Rest all normal," it added.

The Western Railway suburban services were also restored on Thursday despite the heavy rains as the waters have receded at several stations.

However, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued heavy rainfall warnings for several areas in the state.

The city administration has declared a holiday for all schools and colleges in Mumbai following the IMD forecast. The Pune district administration has also declared a holiday for schools and colleges due to a heavy rainfall prediction in the city. The weather department has issued an orange alert for Pune. 

Reports indicated that some regions received over 100 mm of rain within just five hours, leading to severe waterlogging and traffic snarls. According to data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the island city recorded 87.79 mm of rainfall, while the eastern suburbs received 167.48 mm, and the western suburbs saw 95.57 mm between 5 PM and 10 PM. 

A landslide occurred at Mumbra by-pass road due to heavy rains, with rocks removed from the road. Fire Officer Swapnil Sarnobat reported that the landslide occurred around 9:30 PM due to the ongoing heavy rains, a recurring issue for this particular stretch during monsoon season.