Floodwaters hit industrial ops in Chakan, Mulshi; key highways waterlogged

Pune: Heavy, incessant downpour brought the industrial hubs in the district to their knees on Monday, with several companies suspending operations for the day, in parts of Chakan, Talegaon and Mulshi.The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority dispatched teams to rescue around 25 workers trapped inside a factory near Chimbali Phata in Chakan MIDC, while the fire brigade moved 30 employees of a multinational company to safety after their bus broke down on a flooded stretch near Ghorwadi in Talegaon Dabhade.Dilip Batwal, CEO of the Federation of Chakan Industries (FCI), said, “Manufacturing activity was severely hit as buses ferrying employees remained stranded on waterlogged roads, while many workers could not reach their workplaces.”

Manufacturing units that did not cease operations too were affected after a power outage at MIDC’s pumping station disrupted water supply.Jaidev Akkalkote, president of Chakan MIDC Industrial Association and director of Sahyadri Group of Industries, said, “Nearly every approach road to the MIDC was flooded and workers could not reach the factories.” Akkalkote said his manufacturing unit was shut for the day.

The FCI has urged companies to declare a holiday for workers where feasible and make up for lost time on Thursday or Sunday. However, companies remained open in the Hinjewadi IT Park as most of them have hybrid work policies. “Most employees opted to work from home due to the rain. Since our work can be done remotely, there was no significant impact to business,” one company official said.In Mulshi and adjoining areas, home to 272 MSMEs, the situation was similar.

“Some units suspended operations on Sunday, while others asked employees to return home on Monday once the rain intensified,” said Mulshi Industries Association president Satish Karanjkar.In residential areas in Chakan and adjoining villages, water entered homes, housing society premises and parking areas. Major roads, including stretches of the Pune-Nashik highway and the Shikrapur-Talegaon bypass, were submerged, disrupting traffic for several hours.

Several passenger buses were stranded, requiring rescue operations.Senior inspector Nilesh Waghmare of the Chakan traffic division said traffic slowed to a crawl but was not disrupted on the waterlogged Pune-Nashik highway. “Vehicles were moving slowly, while some broke down after being stranded in the water.”An official from the Highway Traffic Police said waterlogging was reported at several bridges and junctions along the highway, especially in Chakan and Bhosari. “We coordinated with the local police and diverted the traffic onto other internal roads through nearby villages,” the official said.(With inputs from Shashank Didmishe and Gitesh Shelke)