Maha govt under Oppn fire after newly inaugurated Mumbai-Pune Expressway ‘missing link’ shut due to rain damage, landslide

Mumbai, July 6 (IANS) Opposition parties on Monday slammed the Maharashtra government over the disruption in traffic on the Mumbai Pune Expressway after a massive landslide on the newly inaugurated Khopoli-Kusgaon Missing Link section.

The Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) have accused the Mahayuti government of corruption, saying that the public will not forgive it.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray alleged, “Corruption is the first name of the BJP and Shinde faction, be it in the roads or even in temples.”

He said, “The Missing link was inaugurated on 1st May 2026. For all the infra watchers and believers, the cost of this link has been escalated by thousands of crores. It has now had a landslide and much more within 2 months of its checks and inaugurations. More so, using it while on the way to Pune and back, I noticed and stated publicly also that not even 50 feet of the road is flat. It is all undulated and feels like one is sitting in a boat, riding the waves.”

NCP (SP) legislator Rohit Pawar targeted the Maharashtra government and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in particular.

He remarked, “Potholes were dug on the Missing Link for durability checks, so has a landslide occurred today for durability checks? Due to only the link of brokerage and corruption emerging in the Missing Link’s work, even safety has gone missing. In the last four-five days, the rains from Pune to Mumbai have exposed the hollow claims of this corrupt government, revealing the dark deeds of this corrupt government. The public will not forgive this corrupt government.”

Rohit Pawar’s statement comes after CM Fadnavis recently countered the Opposition’s charge of potholes on Missing Link.

CM Fadnavis had said, “There are potholes on the Missing Link; specifically, two potholes have formed near the connector, but there are no potholes anywhere else. However, some people take pleasure in blowing things completely out of proportion. Whenever any project is completed and witnesses its first monsoon, a second layer is typically applied. During this initial rain, the durability of the road is tested, and we evaluate whatever difficulties might arise. Consequently, as the saying goes, ‘Keep your critics close’, so it does not matter. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will take appropriate care.”

He further added, “When a new flyover is constructed, mastic asphalt accumulates at the site initially, after which it functions smoothly. The executed work needs time to settle—these are standard engineering principles. If there are any shortcomings anywhere, they will be rectified. However, we have successfully delivered the country’s tallest bridge, the country’s widest tunnels, and a tunnel running beneath a dam for the very first time. Therefore, engaging in criticism is not justified.”

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshwardhan Sapkal also criticised CM Fadnavis and taunted, “In the very first rain, ‘Infra Man’ has turned into ‘Disaster Man’! The Chief Minister, who calls two potholes ‘testing of the first rain,’ will now call the collapse of a hillside blocking the road on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway’s multi-crore missing link project a ‘monsoon trial,’ won’t he?”

“Across the world, tunnels are carved through mountains and stand tall, but in Maharashtra, projects crumble in the very first rain. The problem isn’t the rain—it’s the shoddy workmanship, the corruption, and the political impunity granted to contractors. Multi-crore projects… but in the very first rain, development itself goes missing,” he commented.

Congress Legislature Party leader, Vijay Wadettiwar, said that the most serious issue is that this Missing Link was inaugurated just two months ago. “Yet a landslide occurs — raising grave questions about the quality of the work and the planning involved. Was the inauguration rushed while neglecting the standards of construction? This question is now inevitable,” he said.

“When potholes appeared on the Missing Link, the government had explained that testing was underway. Now that a landslide has occurred, what testing is underway? On one hand, regular tolls are collected from passengers, but on the other, the government and relevant authorities are failing to ensure safe travel. Is the toll just for collection? Who will take responsibility for citizens’ safety?” he asked.

He further added, “The government must conduct a high-level enquiry into this incident and clarify in the Assembly exactly who is responsible for the landslide on this recently-built project. If such a situation arises in the very first heavy rain despite spending crores of rupees, strict action must be taken against those responsible. This negligence, playing with people’s lives, will not be tolerated!”

–IANS

sj/rad