Traffic chaos on Mumbai-Pune Expressway after tanker overturns; passengers stuck for hours
Mumbai (PTI): Traffic was paralysed overnight on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway after a gas tanker overturned in the Khandala Ghat section, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded and causing massive congestion on both carriageways, officials said on Wednesday.
Vehicles remained stationary near the accident site for several hours amid the traffic chaos stretching for over 12 hours, leaving passengers, including women and children, without food, water, and toilet facilities.
The highway traffic police have appealed to motorists to avoid travelling on the expressway as far as possible until normal traffic movement is restored.
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway is India's first 6-lane wide concrete, access-controlled tolled expressway. It spans a distance of 94.5 km connecting Mumbai, Raigad and Navi Mumbai with Pune.
According to the expressway control room, the gas tanker overturned on the highway at around 5 pm on Tuesday.
The incident occurred near the Adoshi tunnel in Raigad district when the tanker, allegedly travelling at high speed, lost control due to the slope and overturned. Soon after the accident, gas was found leaking from the tanker, causing panic among motorists, an official said.
The tanker was carrying propylene gas, which is highly flammable. As a precautionary measure, the police immediately closed traffic towards Mumbai to prevent any untoward incident.
The Mumbai-bound traffic was diverted onto the Pune-bound carriageway for about a 2-km stretch due to the accident.
However, normal movement could not be restored due to a continuous gas leak from the tanker, resulting in long queues and crawling traffic even for Pune-bound motorists, an official at the expressway control room said.
The impact was severe on motorists, with several passengers stranded for hours.
"People have been stuck and desperately waiting for help. Please do something," wrote X user VyasKarn.
A conductor of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus told PTI around midnight that their vehicle had been stationary for over six hours near the accident site, leaving passengers without food, water and toilet facilities.
Many motorists voiced their frustration on social media, with some describing the expressway as a "parking lot" and advising others to avoid travel unless necessary.
"Mumbai-Pune Expressway is a literal parking lot right now. Traffic crawling for hours near Lonavala and Khandala due to a truck overturn. If you absolutely don't have to travel, don't," wrote X user pranav_72.
The Pune-bound motorists were also inconvenienced due to the traffic snarls.
"Started my journey from Andheri West around 7 pm via cab. Will be reaching Pune around 3.40 am. Worst traffic experience I ever had," another X user, Sohit Manik, wrote.
The Maharashtra Highway Traffic Police have advised motorists to avoid the Mumbai–Pune Expressway until regular traffic movement is restored.
The tanker overturned in the Khandala Ghat section on the Mumbai-bound corridor near the Adoshi tunnel, as per a statement of the highway traffic police shared by a spokesperson of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
A highly flammable gas leaked from the tanker after the accident, and all agencies concerned were working at the site on a war footing to contain the situation, it said.
The Mumbai-bound carriageway was closed in the interest of vehicle and commuter safety, leading to traffic congestion on both the Mumbai and Pune-bound lanes of the expressway, the statement added.
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Surveillance intensified in Bengal border districts as killers of Suvendu's PA may flee out of state
Kolkata (PTI): Police stations in border districts of West Bengal intensified surveillance and searches as investigators suspect the involvement of professional shooters from neighbouring states in the killing of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's close aide, a senior officer said on Friday.
The police are also investigating the role of local criminals who might have provided logistical support to the assailants, he said.
More than 36 hours after Adhikari's personal assistant Chandranath Rath was assassinated by motorcycle-borne gunmen at Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas district, the police are yet to make any arrest.
“A detailed investigation is underway. The manner in which the attack was carried out suggests extensive reconnaissance and the possible involvement of hired sharpshooters from outside the state,” a senior police officer told PTI.
He also said all police stations in border districts have been alerted.
"Checks are being carried out at multiple points, and CCTV footage from areas along Jessore Road is being thoroughly scanned,” another senior officer said.
According to probe findings, the gunmen allegedly followed Rath’s vehicle before launching the attack.
“The escape route of the gunmen indicates that they were familiar with the locality, or local criminals might have assisted them. Without local support, fleeing through the lanes so quickly would have been difficult,” the officer added.
The police, however, are yet to ascertain the motive behind the murder.
The police and detective department officers have launched extensive searches in and around Madhyamgram near Kolkata.
Heavy deployment of police and central forces has also been made in the area since the murder occurred on Wednesday night.
"A motorcycle used in the crime was registered in 2012 in the name of a resident of Burnpur in Asansol. However, the police found that no person by that name currently resides at the address given during the vehicle registration process," another officer said.
