Pune: A significant landslide in the Sinhagad Fort Ghat at around 3 AM on Tuesday (July 30) has led to the closure of the road leading to Sinhagad Fort.

The forest department has indicated that due to continuous rain, the relief efforts are being hampered, and it is anticipated that the road will remain closed for the next two to three days.

The landslide occurred within the final one-kilometer stretch of the Sinhagad Ghat road. A large section of the mountain, including trees, collapsed onto the road.

The forest department, with the assistance of the Ghera Sinhagad Forest Conservation Committee, has started the debris removal process. However, ongoing rain is causing delays in the work, which is projected to take two to three days. Consequently, the road will be entirely closed to traffic during this period.

Dattatreya Jorkar, a member of the Forest Conservation Committee, explained, "The ghat road is typically closed every evening and reopens at 6 AM, so there was no one present in the ghat at that time."

Following directives from the district collector, the committee has identified and marked potential landslide areas. As soon as the morning's information was received, debris removal began.

There is a risk of further landslides, and both the committee and the forest department remain on high alert.

Pandurang Supekar, President of the Forest Conservation Committee, reported that over 125 millimeters of rain fell in the Sinhagad and Khadakwasla areas last week, leading to small landslides.

The continuous rain is causing additional soil to slide, making it likely that the ghat will remain closed for the next two to three days.

Assistant Deputy Conservator of Forests, Deepak Pawar, emphasized the potential for additional landslides and the need for continued vigilance.