Thane, July 9: Malshej Ghat, a mountain pass in the western ghats range in Thane-Ahmednagar Road, will be closed for tourists till July 31, 2019. This development comes after several incidents of landslides were reported due to incessant monsoon showers in Maharashtra. Thane district collector Rajesh Narvekar has issued a written order in this regard. How and What to Pack For a Monsoon Trip.

In the monsoon, thousands of tourists from Mumbai, Pune, Nashik travel to Malshej Ghat. Accordingly, there will be special attention of the police on four points of the Malshej Ghat. The restricted places include Malshej Ghat, Ganesh Caves, Padale Dam and Siddhagad. Meanwhile, transportation and vehicular traffic in the ghats will continue. However, tourists cannot stop anywhere. Thane Rains: Section 144 Imposed At Waterfalls, Tourists Places Amid Rough Weather.

Police are monitoring the restricted areas. "On Saturdays, Sundays and adjacent holidays, 35 police personnel, along with two police officers, will be deployed in Malshej Ghat," an official said. If anyone is found in the restricted zone, strict action will be taken against them.

In a recent incident on July 4, vehicle movement was resumed in the ghats after debris and boulders were cleared after a landslide. Due to landslide, one side of the road was blocked and affected the movement. Malshej Ghat is prone to landslides during monsoon. Therefore tourists are advised to drive carefully.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 09, 2019 11:23 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).