PUNE: The Sangli and Kolhapur districts experienced an unusually high amount of rain earlier this month which caused floods.
National Highway 4 (NH-4) is used by the transport industry to transport goods from Pune to Bangalore. As a result of the floods, NH-4 was cut off and the industry suffered losses of at least Rs 200 crore. The floods damaged a number of vehicles which have now be sent for repair. As of now, less than half the total number of vehicles that regularly ply on the route have managed to return, thereby increasing the losses to the industry.
Baba Shinde, President, Maharashtra State Goods and Passengers’ Transport Association said, “Since the floods affected NH-4 route, all our transport vehicles – right from small vans to trucks and other heavy vehicles – were stopped near Satara by the police for at least seven to eight days till the water receded. Most of our vehicles were damaged as water entered the engines and other mechanical issues came to the fore. During this period, the transportation industry, which utilises NH4 route from Pune to Bengaluru, suffered loses of at least Rs. 200 crores.”