Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Pune on Thursday has been canceled as the city faces severe rainfall. On Wednesday, Pune recorded 131mm of rain in just three hours, marking the highest 24-hour September rainfall in 86 years. The previous record of 132.3mm was set on September 21, 1938. Updated rainfall figures, expected to be released on Thursday, may surpass the historic 1938 record.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Pune, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds for Thursday.
PM Modi’s visit was intended to flag off a Metro train and launch several key development projects valued at over Rs 22,600 crore. One of the highlights included inaugurating the Pune Metro stretch from District Court to Swargate, signaling the completion of Phase-1. Additionally, the Prime Minister was set to lay the foundation stone for the Swargate-Katraj Metro extension, which is projected to cost around Rs 2,950 crore.
With the weather conditions expected to worsen, authorities have urged residents to remain cautious and stay indoors whenever possible.