Mumbai-Pune Expressway Faces Major Disruption After Hazardous Gas Leak
A severe traffic crisis has gripped the Mumbai-Pune Expressway for over fifteen hours following a dangerous gas leak incident. The disruption began on Tuesday evening when a tanker carrying highly flammable propylene gas overturned at the Adoshi tunnel in Raigad district, leading to a significant and ongoing leak.
Traffic Comes to a Complete Standstill
The accident, which occurred around 7 PM near the Adoshi tunnel, has resulted in massive traffic jams extending up to twelve kilometers on the crucial Pune-Mumbai Expressway. Authorities have been forced to divert all traffic on both the Expressway and the Old Highway (NH-48) connecting the two metropolitan cities as emergency teams work to control the hazardous situation.
The State Highway Police issued a critical advisory on Wednesday morning, strongly urging commuters to entirely avoid the Lonavala-Khandala ghat section. This precautionary measure is essential for public safety as the gas leak continues to pose serious risks.
Emergency Response and Safety Measures
A coordinated emergency response is underway at the accident site. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) have been deployed to manage the hazardous material and contain the leak. Their efforts are focused on neutralizing the threat and ensuring the area is safe for travel.
"Due to a major gas tanker accident and ongoing leak near Adoshi Tunnel, traffic on both the Expressway and Old Highway between Pune and Mumbai is severely disrupted. Authorities have implemented safety halts," stated the highway police in an official communication.
Recommended Alternative Routes for Commuters
To mitigate the travel chaos, authorities have provided detailed alternative routes for those traveling between Mumbai and Pune:
- Tamhini Ghat Route: For travelers from South Mumbai or Navi Mumbai heading to Pune, the suggested path is via Paud, Tamhini Ghat, Mangaon, and Indapur before reaching Mumbai.
- Malshej Ghat Route: Commuters from Thane, Kalyan, or suburbs should take the route through Chakan, Narayangaon, Malshej Ghat, Murbad, and Kalyan to reach Mumbai.
- Bhimashankar/Manchar Route: Those traveling from North Mumbai or Palghar are advised to use the Manchar, Junnar, and Malshej stretch.
The advisory also cautions that using these alternative routes via Tamhini or Malshej could add an additional three to five hours to the journey. Motorists are urged to ensure their vehicles have a full tank of fuel and carry sufficient water and food supplies.
Additional Travel Advisories
All heavy vehicles have been requested to park at the nearest available lay-bys or food malls until the gas leak is fully neutralized. For those not traveling by private vehicle, the advisory recommends using railway services as an unaffected mode of transport.
"Use Railways: If your travel is not by a private vehicle, the Intercity Express, Deccan Queen, or Sinhagad Express are the only unaffected modes of transport between the two cities today," the advisory further read, highlighting the severity of the road disruption.
The situation remains fluid as authorities continue their efforts to control the propylene gas leak and restore normalcy to one of Maharashtra's busiest highways.
