One of the longest traffic disruptions in the history of the Mumbai–Pune Expressway left thousands of commuters stranded for more than 30 hours, after a gas tanker carrying highly flammable propylene gas overturned near the Adoshi tunnel in the Borghat section on Tuesday evening.
The accident, which occurred around 5:15 pm on February 4, triggered a major gas leak, prompting authorities to shut down the entire Mumbai-bound carriageway as a safety precaution. Traffic movement began to ease only late on Wednesday night after the tanker was fully emptied and removed from the roadway.
Thousands Stranded Without Water, Food or Toilets
The prolonged shutdown paralysed the 94.5-km expressway, which connects Mumbai and Pune and handles nearly one lakh vehicles daily. Traffic heading towards Pune backed up till the Khalapur toll plaza, while the Mumbai-bound side witnessed queues stretching 10 to 12 kilometres.
Commuters reported being stuck inside vehicles for nearly a full day without access to drinking water, food, toilets, or medical assistance, turning the delay into a humanitarian ordeal.
Rohit More, a Pune resident travelling with his two young children, said managing infants inside a stationary car overnight was exhausting. “Milk ran out, diapers became an issue, and the children cried through the night. There were no facilities and no clear information,” he said.
Elderly passengers and those with medical conditions were among the worst affected, reporting dehydration, body pain, and anxiety.
Emergency Response and Containment Challenges
Authorities said containment was delayed due to extremely high gas pressure and damage to the tanker’s valves. The vehicle was carrying nearly 21 tonnes of propylene gas, which had to be transferred into another tanker before removal.
Emergency teams from the Highway Police, NDRF, fire brigade, and a specialised chemical response unit from BPCL were deployed. To prevent ignition, fire brigade teams continuously sprayed water to keep temperatures low, while a 500-metre no-entry safety zone was established around the accident site.
According to Highway Police Superintendent Tanaji Chikhale, internal gas pressure reduced gradually over nearly 21 hours, allowing containment operations to proceed safely.
Chief Minister Orders Inquiry
The scale of the disruption prompted Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to order an inquiry into the incident. He directed the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to submit a detailed report along with recommendations to improve emergency response and disaster preparedness on the expressway.
Helicopter Evacuation Highlights Emergency Gaps
Pune-based entrepreneur Sudhir Mehta, stuck for over eight hours, hired a helicopter to complete his journey. Sharing aerial images of the gridlock on social media, he called for emergency exit points and helipads along the expressway to allow evacuation during such crises.
A helicopter pilot also offered emergency assistance to stranded commuters requiring urgent medical travel, underscoring the lack of structured evacuation mechanisms.
Accident Details
According to police, the tanker (NL01 AG 4250), travelling from Kochi to Surat, overturned due to negligent driving at high speed. The driver, Ratan Singh (44), sustained injuries and was admitted to MGM Hospital, Kamothe. An FIR has been registered by Khopoli police.
A Wake-Up Call for Highway Disaster Management
As traffic slowly returned to normal, the incident exposed serious gaps in emergency planning, communication, and basic commuter support on one of Maharashtra’s most critical highways. For those stranded overnight, the experience was not just about traffic delays—but about being left without essential human necessities on a road once hailed as a model infrastructure project.
