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30-Hour Jam On Mumbai–Pune Expressway: Why Do Accidents & Traffic Chaos Keep Repeating On Maharashtra’s Most Crucial Road?

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8 months ago

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Pune: There is no debate that Mumbai and Pune are indeed the two biggest cities in Maharashtra, and it leaves little room for doubt that the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which connects these two cities, is one of the most crucial roads in the state. However, once again, the debate over the condition of this supposed ‘state-of-the-art’ infrastructure has gained momentum. From Tuesday at 5 pm to Wednesday night at around 10 pm, the expressway was stuck in an unprecedented 30-hour traffic jam.

A tanker carrying highly flammable propylene gas overturned near the Adoshi Tunnel (km 41), within the Raigad district limits on the Pune–Mumbai Expressway, at around 5:00 pm on Tuesday. Authorities took nearly 30 hours to remove the tanker, which was finally cleared from the area near the tunnel at around 10:00 pm on Wednesday.

When the tanker overturned, a leak of propylene gas began. To avoid any potential major catastrophe, the Mumbai-bound traffic was completely shut down, while Pune-bound traffic from Mumbai was allowed to continue with extreme caution. It is reported that the accident occurred after the driver lost control of the vehicle. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), and chemical experts were deployed to handle the situation.

The accident caused a 60-km queue from the Adoshi Tunnel back to Kiwale (the start of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway from the Pune side). Using the internal links, the vehicles were released on the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway, which resulted in traffic congestion between Kamshet and Lonavala. Passengers heading to Mumbai Airport, critical patients with hospital appointments, and regular commuters remain stuck.

Commuters were left stranded without food or water, with many taking over eight hours to complete a journey that normally takes three-and-a-half to four hours. The expressway was cleared late Wednesday night, only for a cement truck to meet with another accident near the Lonavala stretch in the wee hours of Thursday. It triggered yet another traffic jam. Though the mishap was minor, it was enough to disrupt traffic once again. These back-to-back incidents have reignited debate over the Mumbai–Pune Expressway. Questions are being raised about why accidents and traffic congestion continue to plague the corridor.

– 15th August 2023: Five-vehicle collision near Khalapur Toll Plaza; three members of a family killed.

– 23rd April 2023: A private bus fell into a gorge at Borghat; 13 dead, over 25 injured.

– 25th March 2021: A tanker-car collision near Lonavala triggered a gas leak and resulted in two deaths.

– 16th June 2020: A chemical tanker overturned near Amrutanjan Bridge. Four people were burnt alive.

– 18th March 2019: Three cars collided while overtaking; five fatalities.

Currently, the stretch between Khalapur Toll Plaza and Lonavala is winding and steep. This area frequently sees major accidents, landslides, and traffic jams.

Madhusudhan Divekar, a frequent traveller of the expressway, said, “Every morning, the stretch from Khopoli to Lonavala has a traffic jam. The train journey usually takes four hours from Pune to Mumbai. However, with road transport, it should be less, but because of frequent traffic, the time always increases. No one is even talking about the traffic jam one experiences when they enter Mumbai or Pune cities.”

Divekar, along with many other commuters, thinks that this problem will be solved in the future as the ‘Missing Link’ project is underway. This 13 km stretch is expected to open in the coming months. It features a 10.8 km tunnel and a bridge approximately 180 feet high. By bypassing the difficult Ghat section, this new route will reduce travel time between Pune and Mumbai by 20–25 minutes and shorten the distance by 6 km.

The 13.3 km “Missing Link” project on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway is a major upgrade that bypasses the winding Khandala–Lonavala ghat section with tunnels, viaducts and a high cable-stayed bridge. This project aims to improve safety and cut travel time by around 30 minutes while shortening the distance by about 6 km. The Rs 6,600+ crore project is in its final stages and is expected to open to traffic in May 2026 after repeated delays.

– Overspeeding: High speeds often result in sudden loss of vehicle control. The speed limit on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway is 100 kmph for cars and 80 kmph for heavy vehicles. However, to control the speed, from time to time, speed cameras are in place, and people know when they have to follow the speed limit. During other times, the speed limit is simply not followed.

– Highway Hypnosis: Long, straight stretches cause drivers to enter a trance-like state. Psychologists believe it reduces reaction time despite being awake. Expressway stretches are filled with similar-looking scenes, especially from Kiwale to Lonavala.

– Concrete Surface & Tyre Bursts: The majority of the city roads are made of asphalt in Pune and Mumbai. But an expressway is made of concrete. Concrete retains more heat than asphalt. At high speeds, heat and friction cause air inside tyres to expand. This many times leads to sudden bursts, especially in old or under-inflated tyres. Also, breaking judgement changes with the change in surface.

– Lane Discipline Violations: Heavy vehicles frequently move out of the left lane to overtake. Vehicles that move slowly should stick to the left lane to avoid people overtaking them from the right. But heavy and slow-moving vehicle drivers don’t follow this rule.  This forces fast-moving vehicles to brake abruptly or change lanes, which increases collision risk.

– Faulty Tail Lamps: Broken or dust-covered tail lamps on trucks make it difficult to judge distance at night. In some ghat spaces, the visibility on the expressway is low. This results in rear-end crashes many times, as light motor vehicles hit heavy vehicles from behind.

– Khandala Ghat Descent: Continuous braking on steep slopes overheats brake liners, particularly for heavy vehicles. Brake failure in heavy vehicles often leads to loss of control and accidents. A similar trend is also seen on the Navale Bridge on the Katraj-Dehu Road bypass section of the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway.

– Nitrogen-filled tyres to reduce overheating and burst risk

– Mandatory rest breaks for drivers, especially during early morning hours

– Strict action on lane violations, including licence suspension

– Improved reflectors and signage for fog and monsoon conditions

– Mandatory tyre inspection points at toll plazas and food malls

– Enhanced camera surveillance to penalise speeding and lane cutting

– Additional emergency escape ramps in ghat sections

1) Holiday & Weekend Surges: Large spikes in vehicle numbers during long weekends or festive breaks overwhelm the capacity of the highway. It causes slow-moving traffic and long queues, especially in ghat sections.

2) Ghat Bottlenecks: Steep gradients and narrow stretches in the Khandala–Bor Ghat significantly slow traffic, creating persistent chokepoints. In this section, the four-lane old highway and the six-lane expressway merge for traffic from Maval tehsil, effectively squeezing ten lanes into six and resulting in severe congestion.

3) Vehicle Breakdowns: Cars or heavy vehicles breaking down on key stretches block lanes and worsen gridlocks.

4) Maintenance Closures: Unplanned or late-night roadwork narrowing lanes can create bottlenecks that take hours to clear.

5) Overall High Number of Vehicles: The Mumbai–Pune Expressway serves as a vital link between Maharashtra’s two most important cities and carries a massive volume of daily commuters. Due to this consistently high traffic load, even a single disruption quickly results in hours-long congestion across the corridor.

6) The “No-Exit” Trap: The Bor Ghat section of the Mumbai–Pune Expressway creates a dangerous “no-exit” zone spanning nearly 20 km between Khalapur and Kusgaon. The stretch is carved into the mountains and lined with tunnels, and the stretch has no service roads, U-turns, or local exits.

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Navi Mumbai Airport expands multimodal transport network ahead of winter flight schedule

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13 hours ago

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October 5, 2026

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Ahmedabad, Oct 5: Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is strengthening its public transport and ground mobility infrastructure ahead of the Winter Schedule 2026-27, with a wider network of buses, taxis, autorickshaws, car rentals, and airport shuttles aimed at improving connectivity across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region, it was announced on Monday.

The airport, operated by Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), is preparing for the Winter Schedule that will run from October 25, 2026, to March 27, 2027.

As part of the expansion, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will launch e-Shivai electric bus services from NMIA on October 7.

The first phase of MSRTC services will connect the airport with Dadar, Borivali and Pune. Fares from NMIA have been set at Rs 450 for Pune, Rs 210 for Borivali, and Rs 170 for Dadar East. Children below 12 years and women travelling with a National Common Mobility Card will be eligible for a 50 per cent fare concession.

The Dadar-NMIA service will operate through Sion and Atal Setu, while the Borivali-NMIA route will connect CSMIA Terminal 1, Bandra, and Atal Setu. The Pune route will have two daily services, with one operating in the morning and another in the afternoon. MSRTC also plans to introduce services connecting NMIA with Thane and Nashik by mid-November.

Private bus operator Chalo Bus is already providing 21 daily services connecting NMIA with Marol in Andheri East, Bandra, Dadar, and the World Trade Centre in Colaba. The operator is also adding capacity during peak periods to cater to passenger and airport employee movement.

Within Navi Mumbai, Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) is operating seven dedicated airport routes, A1 to A7, linking Terminal 1 with Kharkopar, Targhar, Belapur, Nerul, Panvel, Khandeshwar and the Airport Project Office. Services between Belapur and Nerul are available every 15-20 minutes during peak hours, while further connectivity to Vashi and Panvel is planned.

The airport is also expanding taxi and last-mile connectivity. Uber Go and Uber Premier will provide app-based cab services, while Uber Auto will cater to passengers seeking on-demand autorickshaw services for shorter journeys. Prepaid taxi and autorickshaw facilities, along with car rental services, are also being introduced at the airport.

Bharat Taxi is scheduled to begin operations at NMIA from October 10 with a dedicated fleet of up to 40 vehicles, adding another option for passengers travelling to and from the airport.

A complimentary inter-airport shuttle service is also being introduced between NMIA and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA). Operated by Cityflo, Aarya and Chalo, the shuttle will run every hour and provide passengers with a direct transfer option between Mumbai’s two airports.

Overall ground transport capacity at NMIA is being scaled up to 4,594 vehicles and services, including 3,787 app-based taxis, 184 car rentals, 171 autorickshaws and 547 buses. The airport is also deploying mobility signage, improved wayfinding systems and on-ground passenger assistance, with designated areas for buses, shuttles, arrivals, departures and private vehicles.

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Maharashtra

Man arrested in Mumbai for defrauding senior citizens and others using fake APK files.

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15 hours ago

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October 5, 2026

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In a case involving the defrauding of a 72-year-old senior citizen in Mumbai on August 13, an unidentified caller—posing as Dinesh Kumar, a Senior Manager at Bank of India—gained the victim’s trust by promising to facilitate the issuance of a Senior Citizen Card. The caller sent an APK file named “Senior Citizen Card http://Verification.apk” to the complainant’s WhatsApp and coerced them into entering personal and bank debit card details, resulting in the misappropriation of ₹5,62,000. Initially, the Byculla Police Station registered a case (No. 497/26) under Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the BNS and Sections 66(C) and (D) of the Information Technology Act, 2000. While the Property Cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch was conducting a parallel investigation, senior officials ordered the transfer of the case to the Crime Branch; it was subsequently re-registered as Case No. 927/2026 for further investigation.

A thorough technical analysis of the aforementioned APK file was conducted, leading to the identification and arrest of the accused—a 36-year-old male software developer and resident of Madhya Pradesh—who was responsible for developing the fraudulent APK file. During a raid on the accused’s office in Madhya Pradesh, authorities recovered a pen drive, a CPU, three hard disks, a Wi-Fi router, and three mobile phones. Preliminary technical analysis revealed that the accused was utilizing servers from various service provider companies. Investigation confirmed that the accused had created and sold a total of 2,805 malicious APK files to other cybercriminal gangs. These files were used to defraud 9,673 people across India. Complaints regarding these incidents have been registered on the cyber helpline number 1930—specifically 1,074 nationwide, 143 in Maharashtra, and 36 in Mumbai—revealing a total fraud amount of ₹15.75 crore. Cases have been cracked involving 88 incidents across India, 8 in Maharashtra, and 5 in Mumbai.

This successful operation was executed by a team comprising Police Commissioner Devin, Joint Police Commissioner Anil Kumbhare, Additional Commissioner Krishna Kant Upadhyay, DCP (Crime) Raj Tilak Roshan, and the Crime Branch. DCP Raj Tilak Roshan stated that this action was taken in response to fraud targeting the elderly under the guise of issuing senior citizen cards; the police also regularly conduct awareness campaigns among the elderly regarding this issue.

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Maharashtra

MPSC paper leak row: Maha CM seeks Guv’s nod for judicial probe

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15 hours ago

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October 5, 2026

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Mumbai, Oct 5: Responding to escalating protests by competitive examination aspirants, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday formally recommended that Governor Jishnu Dev Varma constitute a high-level inquiry panel to initiate proceedings against current and former members and chairpersons of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) under Article 317 of the Constitution.

The Chief Minister proposed that a committee headed by a retired High Court judge investigate the allegations and submit a comprehensive report within three months to determine subsequent action.

CM Fadnavis highlighted that removing MPSC officials, who hold constitutional posts, requires a strict procedure.

Under Article 317, removal can only take place following a formal inquiry and subsequent action involving the President of India and the Supreme Court.

Following assurances given during discussions between the Chief Minister and a delegation of student representatives, MPSC Secretary Mahendra Harpalkar has been officially relieved of his duties.

Agitation intensified across Pune after a paper leak was confirmed in the Drug Inspector examination conducted by the MPSC for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Investigations revealed that three candidates had directly benefited from the leak. All three candidates and several alleged accomplices have since been arrested.

Aspirants led by MLA Rohit Pawar have been protesting at multiple locations in Pune, demanding the immediate resignation of MPSC Chairman Vivek Bhimanwar, who assumed office in early 2026.

The demonstrations also reflect ongoing student concerns regarding the examination pattern, particularly the issue of multiple-choice questions versus descriptive formats, as well as broader questions of administrative accountability.

Students have been demanding the resignation of the MPSC chairperson, with opposition parties extending full support to the protest movement.

The movement now appears to have achieved a breakthrough with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ formal recommendation to Governor Jishnu Dev Varma.

Meanwhile, amid the ongoing controversies surrounding MPSC examinations, Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad publicly criticised his own government on Sunday.

Making serious allegations against the MPSC Board, he demanded that the board itself be dissolved.

He also said that he would hand over his evidence and a formal letter directly to the Chief Minister.

The state government’s latest measures aim to restore candidates’ trust by establishing a time-bound, independent judicial inquiry into the commission’s administrative functioning.

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