PM Modi's visit to Pune cancelled due to heavy rains
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled visit to Pune on Thursday—where he was set to launch the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) campaign for the Maharashtra assembly elections with a public rally—has been canceled due to heavy rains. According to news agency ANI, severe waterlogging and mud accumulation at SP College—the venue for the rally—led to the cancellation. The city has been hit by heavy rainfall since Wednesday night, leading to widespread waterlogging and significant traffic disruptions.
What was on PM's schedule
Notably, PM Modi was scheduled to flag off a Metro train in Pune on Thursday alongside launching several development projects valued at over ₹22,600 crore. The PM was set to inaugurate the underground section of the city's Metro rail connecting Civil Court to Swargate. He was also planning to lay the foundation stone for the network's expansion from Swargate to Katraj.
Schools, colleges shut in Pune
Amid heavy rainfall, the Pune administration announced late Wednesday that schools and colleges in Pune city and Pimpri-Chinchwad would remain closed today. The directive was issued by District Collector Suhas Divase following an alert from the India Meteorological Department—warning of rain accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms. Additionally, the irrigation department cautioned about potential water discharge from local dams. To recall, a similar situation occurred in July when heavy rains forced the cancellation of President Droupadi Murmu's scheduled visit to Pune.