MUMBAI: The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) on Monday said the Rs 7,000-crore Missing Link tunnel on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway remains structurally safe despite damage to its entrance following heavy rainfall.
Speaking exclusively to The New Indian Express, MSRDC Managing Director Anil Kumar Gaikwad said only the tunnel's false frame -- a decorative façade at the entrance -- had collapsed after a nearly 15-tonne boulder was washed down by torrential rain.
"The boulder fell on the false frame at the entrance of the Missing Link. Fortunately, it did not hit the bridge connected to the tunnel. The false frame is only an elevation feature and not part of the actual structure. Even without it, the tunnel can operate. The tunnel is absolutely intact and there is no structural damage," Gaikwad said.
He attributed the incident to unprecedented rainfall, noting that around 625 mm of rain had been recorded in the area over the past 24 hours.
"The Missing Link project has been under construction for six years, and this entrance structure has been in place for the last two years. It had withstood the previous two monsoons. This time, however, the exceptionally heavy rainfall triggered the rockfall," he said.
Gaikwad said the boulder was broken into smaller pieces and removed using JCB machines, while a damaged girder on the approach bridge was also dismantled.
"Our teams have removed more than 15 truckloads of debris since morning. Engineers have inspected the tunnel for cracks or any structural damage and found none. The tunnel remains completely safe," he said.
According to Gaikwad, the nine-km Missing Link stretch itself has suffered no damage, with the impact confined to the exterior entrance structure.
"The collapse was outside the tunnel. The façade gave way, but it has no bearing on the main tunnel. We consulted experts, including IIT Bombay, during the project's design and construction. Engineers are now clearing the remaining debris and mud using high-pressure water jets, following which the route will be reopened to traffic," he said.
He described the incident as the result of an unforeseen natural event caused by intense rainfall and rockfall from the adjoining hillside.
