Traffic flow on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway was reinstated early Thursday, bringing relief to thousands of stranded commuters who had been left for 33 hours due to an overturned gas tanker at the Khandala Ghat area of the expressway.
How the disruption began
The traffic nightmare began Tuesday evening when a gas tanker carrying highly flammable propylene gas overturned near the Adoshi tunnel in the hilly area of Khandala, PTI reported. As a precautionary measure, the authorities immediately restricted traffic on the Mumbai-bound side of the expressway, resulting in massive congestion that continued throughout the night and into Wednesday.
Long hours of hardship for commuters
The jam was reported to be stretched over almost 90 km of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, with vehicles at a standstill lining up for almost 20 km at one point. Thousands of commuters were left stranded in their vehicles for hours, with many of them having no access to drinking water, food, or toilets. Families with women, children, and senior citizens were left to face the hardships as the rescue operations continued.
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Gas transfer and tanker removal
“There were 21 tonnes of propylene gas, which was refilled in another tanker. Once the assurance of safety is given by the gas company teams for the overturned tanker, it will be moved from the site. And it will still take some time to normalise the traffic movement on the E-way", Hindustan Times quoted Highway Police Superintendent Tanaji Chikhale as saying.
With the aid of heavy cranes, the overturned tanker was shifted away from the accident spot in the early hours of Thursday. Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) officials said, “Traffic on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway resumed at 1.46 am after the damaged gas tanker was shifted from the accident site.”
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Traffic gradually returns to normal
Even as traffic started flowing again in the night, some congestion was witnessed for a brief period, especially in the ghat section, as several heavy vehicles were still stranded on the route. Traffic started flowing normally as the road cleared.
Taking into consideration the magnitude of the disruption, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed an inquiry into the matter. He asked the MSRDC officials to provide a detailed report on how such emergencies could be dealt with in a better manner in the future.
