On July 6, torrential rain triggered massive landslides across the Lonavala‑Karjat stretch of the Central Railway network, damaging tracks and rendering the line unsafe for regular traffic. The zone promptly closed the affected section, initiating a series of short‑notice diversions, short‑terminations and short‑originations to keep the network functional. Chief Public Relations Officer Dr. Swapnil Nila confirmed that these measures will stay in effect until July 17, giving engineers time to complete repairs.

Scope of Diversions and Short‑Term Changes

Trains have been rerouted via multiple alternative corridors, such as the Daund‑Manmad‑Igatpuri‑Kalyan line, the Daund‑Manmad‑Jalgaon‑Paldhi‑Surat route, and the Kalyan‑Manmad‑Daund‑Solapur corridor. Below is a snapshot of the most affected services:

• Daund‑Manmad‑Igatpuri‑Kalyan diversion: 18519 Vishakapatnam‑LTT Express (July 11‑15) and 11018 Karaikal‑LTT Express (July 13).
• Daund‑Manmad‑Jalgaon‑Paldhi‑Surat diversion: 22718 Secunderabad‑Rajkot Express (July 13‑14), 22919 MGR‑Chennai‑Ahmedabad Express (July 15), 20967 Secunderabad‑Porbandar Express (July 15), 09628 Solapur‑Ajmer Express (July 16).
• Kalyan‑Manmad‑Daund‑Solapur diversion: 18520 LTT‑Vishakapatnam Express (July 11‑17) and 22101 LTT‑Madurai Express (July 15).
• Surat‑Paldhi‑Manmad‑Daund‑Solapur diversion: 22920 Ahmedabad‑MGR Chennai Express (July 13), 22717 Rajkot‑Secunderabad Express (July 13, 15, 16), 20968 Porbandar‑Secunderabad Express (July 14), 20920 Ektanagar‑MGR Chennai Express (July 15), 09419 Ahmedabad‑Thiruchirappalli Express (July 16).

Short‑Terminated and Short‑Originated Services

At Pune, trains such as 11140 Hospete‑CSMT Express and 12116 Solapur‑CSMT Express are being short‑terminated between July 11‑16. Similar restrictions apply at Khadki for services like 11302 KSR‑Bengaluru‑CSMT Express and 11030 Kolhapur‑CSMT Express (July 11‑17). Conversely, short‑originated trains now start from Pune and Khadki, including 11029 CSMT‑Kolhapur Express and 11301 CSMT‑KSR Bengaluru Express (July 11‑17).

Passenger Guidance

Railway officials advise commuters to regularly consult the NTES mobile application or dial the helpline (139) for live train statuses. Updates are also being posted on Central Railway’s official social‑media channels, ensuring passengers can re‑plan journeys with minimal disruption.

Looking Ahead

Full restoration of the Lonavala‑Karjat line is projected by July 17, after which normal schedules should resume. Nonetheless, the region’s monsoon‑prone geography makes future landslides a realistic risk. Long‑term mitigation—such as reinforced track foundations, improved drainage, and early‑warning monitoring—will be crucial to safeguard rail operations against similar events.