Landslides hit ghat section

PUNE: Motorists were greeted by landslides on the ghat section of the Pune-Mumbai express-way, near Khopoli, but no injuries or damage to vehicles were reported.
Small and big stones and soil were lying at a number of places. As a preventive measure, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has erected fences at many places.
A portion of the expressway was cordoned off near Khopoli, after a huge boulder came down.Dattatray Mukadam, who was supervising the work of clearing the debris, told this reporter that the problem was particularly prevalent in the ghat section. "This happens when it rains heavily.
Fortunately, no accidents have happened due to the landslides," he said. Mukadam said closing of some sections and clearing of debris could slow down traffic to some extent.
Sanjiv Chawla, a regular motorist on the expressway, said landslides were common in the Khopoli section during the monsoon. However, the clearing work starts promptly but takes time, slowing down the traffic, he added.
BG Marathe, joint managing director of MSRDC, said the authorities were vigilant and the work of clearing the road was taken up promptly whenever a landslide happened.