Monsoon Safety or Mismanagement? Residents Protest Closure of Varandha Ghat Route
Hirdoshi, 23rd June 2025: In an effort to prevent landslides and ensure safety during the monsoon season, the Bhor-Mahad Varandha Ghat route has been closed to heavy vehicles until September 30. Additionally, light vehicles are barred during periods of red and orange alerts, as per directives from the Pune administration.
However, the order has largely been ignored, with vehicles continuing to use the ghat road. Taking firm action, the Raigad administration on Friday (June 20) afternoon blocked the route by dumping stones and mud, leading to temporary chaos. Stranded and unaware of the sudden closure, local drivers took it upon themselves to clear the debris, allowing light vehicles to pass until the evening. The lack of advance notice triggered strong displeasure among locals.
The closure has sparked concern in several villages, including Deoghar, Venupuri, Kondhari, Hirdoshi, Warwand, Karungan, Shirgaon, Shilimb, Ashimpi, Umbarde, Durgadi, Abhepuri, and Chaudharywadi. Residents rely on the Varandha Ghat road for essential travel to Mahad taluka’s markets, schools, and hospitals. Public transport in the region is scarce, with only one State Transport (ST) bus halting at Shilimb. For years, locals have depended on private vehicles to commute through this ghat.
“Closing the road completely is unfair to residents. Our children travel to Varandha for school, and we use the route for hospitals and markets. The administration should not shut it for all vehicles,” said Prakash Pawar, a resident of Umbarde village.
“For five to six years now, the ghat has been closed each monsoon, but what permanent solutions have been implemented? The widening work is happening in Hirdoshi, not in the ghat stretch, which is still motorable. We’ve written to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari demanding that light vehicle access be maintained,” added Dr. Nitin Deshmukh, a resident of Varandha.
Residents and local leaders have criticised the authorities for failing to notify travelers adequately. With no prominent signs posted on routes leading to the ghat, many drivers unknowingly enter the closed section, only to find themselves stranded.
Locals have urged the Bhor administration to install clear signage at key junctions such as Kapurhol, Shindewadi (Khandala taluka), Nigudghar near Neera-Deoghar Dam, and the Bhor-Varandha boundary to prevent further confusion and ensure public safety.
With the road remaining vital to the day-to-day lives of people in over a dozen villages, the demand to allow continued passage of light vehicles is growing louder.
