Thane

The Thane district administration in Maharashtra has banned entry to all tourist destinations, including forts and water bodies, until further notice due to heavy rain forecasts.

Collector Dr Shrikrishna Panchal issued the order under the Disaster Management Act on Monday, prohibiting entry to forts, waterfalls, dams, lakes, and rivers to prevent accidents during the monsoon.

Over the past three days, the district has faced waterlogging, fallen trees, and traffic chaos.

The India Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with extremely heavy showers at isolated places, accompanied by strong winds reaching speeds of 70 to 80 kmph in the district.

READ MORE: MEA comes to rescue of Nazneen stuck at Doha airport

Noting past tragedies from landslides and drownings during monsoon, officials stressed that the ban is a safety measure. Local authorities have been told to enforce restrictions strictly.