Mumbai brought to standstill: Massive 12-km traffic jam on Mumbai-Pune Highway, vehicles stranded for 18 hours
As the leak prevailed, emergency response teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) swung into action to contain the situation.
PTC News Desk: All vehicles on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway were diverted to the old Mumbai-Pune Highway triggering disruption of traffic for nearly 18 hours. The massive traffic jam stretching over 12 km was caused following a gas tanker overturn in the Kandala Ghat section leaving hundreds stranded.
The accient occured around 5 pm when a tanker carrying highlly inflammable propylene gas allegedly lost control on a slope and turned turtle. Soon after, gas began leaking from the vehicle, prompting authorities to shut the Mumbai-bound carriageway as a precaution.
As the leak prevailed, emergency response teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) swung into action to contain the situation.
The extended closure brought traffic to a complete halt on both sides of the 94.5-kilometre, access-controlled expressway linking Mumbai and Pune. Vehicles were stranded near the accident spot throughout the night, leaving commuters — including women and children — without basic amenities such as food, drinking water, and restrooms. Many travellers shared their experiences on social media, describing the expressway as resembling a “parking lot” and advising others to avoid travelling unless absolutely essential.
Because of the shutdown, Mumbai-bound vehicles were temporarily redirected to the Pune-bound lane for a limited stretch. However, continuous gas leakage hindered the full resumption of traffic. As the congestion worsened, authorities started rerouting vehicles to the old Mumbai–Pune Highway and managed traffic flow through intermittent stoppages lasting 15 to 20 minutes.
Highway police stated that safety experts recommended stopping traffic within a 5-kilometre radius of the accident site while emergency teams handled the gas leak. The Mumbai-bound carriageway near Khandala remained shut, resulting in long traffic queues and slow movement even for vehicles travelling towards Pune.