Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s highly anticipated visit to Pune on Thursday was abruptly cancelled due to heavy rainfall lashing the city. The PM was scheduled to inaugurate a series of projects worth a staggering ₹ 22,600 crores, including the much-awaited opening of the Pune Metro section connecting District Court to Swargate. This section, costing around ₹ 1,810 crore, marked the completion of the first phase of the Pune Metro Rail Project.
The heavy rain alert prompted the Pune district administration to order the closure of schools and colleges in Pune city and the Pimpri Chinchwad area for Thursday. The decision was made following an orange alert issued by the Meteorological Department for Thane, Raigad, Mumbai and Pune on September 26. An orange alert was also issued for Nashik and Dhule districts in north Maharashtra. District collector Suhas Divase issued the directive based on the India Meteorological Department’s warning of expected rains, lightning, and thunderstorms.
Pune experienced significant rainfall on Wednesday evening, leading to waterlogging in several areas. In response to the forecast of heavy rains between September 24 and September 29, the water resources department issued an alert, warning of potential additional water discharge from dams on the Mutha and Pawana rivers. They urged people to stay vigilant and exercise caution during this period of intense rainfall.
