Mumbai–Pune Expressway turns parking lot as vehicles remain stuck for 12 hours

All vehicles on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway were diverted to the old Mumbai–Pune Highway after a gas tanker overturned in the Khandala Ghat section, bringing expressway movement to a complete standstill overnight.

Traffic chaos persisted for more than 12 hours after the accident, with hundreds of vehicles stranded on both carriageways, causing massive congestion and paralysing movement through the ghat section

Passengers, including women and children, remained stuck near the accident site for several hours without access to food, drinking water, or toilet facilities, highlighting the severe hardship caused by prolonged traffic blockage.

The accident occurred around 5 pm on 3rd of January 2025 near the Adoshi tunnel in Raigad district, where the tanker allegedly lost control due to speed and slope before overturning on the Mumbai-bound corridor.

The tanker was carrying propylene gas, which began leaking soon after the accident, triggering panic among motorists and forcing authorities to take emergency safety measures to prevent fire or explosion risks.

As a precautionary step, traffic towards Mumbai was immediately closed to ensure commuter safety, with authorities citing continuous gas leakage as the primary reason for restricting vehicle movement in the affected stretch.

Mumbai-bound traffic was diverted onto the Pune-bound carriageway for nearly two kilometres, but continuous gas leakage prevented restoration of normal movement, resulting in long queues and crawling traffic in both directions.

An MSRTC bus conductor reported that the bus remained stationary for over six hours near the site, leaving passengers stranded late at night without essential amenities, reflecting the scale of disruption faced by public transport users.

Highway traffic police advised motorists to avoid the Mumbai–Pune Expressway until regular traffic movement is restored, while multiple agencies continued working on a war footing to control the gas leak and clear the overturned tanker.

Commuters expressed anger on social media, describing the expressway as a “parking lot.” Many shared overnight travel experiences and urged others to avoid travel due to severe delays near Lonavala and Khandala.t