English
Pune, February 20: The weekend of Mumbaikar’s who planned to take a ride at the famous Mubai-Pune Expressway turned into a nightmare after oil spill near Khandala exit caused huge traffic jam. The motorists were stranded for almost 9-hours at the Expressway from 6:30 am Saturday morning to 3:30 pm after a separate lane was opened for those moving towards Lonavala and Pune.
Report suggest that the traffic was caused after an oil tanker at the Mumbai-Pune Expressway turned turtle spilling oil on the bridge exiting towards Lonavala.
The weekend plans of several commuters were hurt as the accident also comes as an addition to the closing of one of the four lanes headed towards Pune, which was planned to be shut down between February 22 to March 11 for maintenance. Read Also: (Heavy rains wash out tracks in Lonavala, clog Mumbai-Pune Expressway)
Pankaja Munde, Maharahstra Rural Development Minister tweeted about the traffic jam where she said, “Plz avoid Pune Mumbai travel on Expressway. Huge traffic jam”.
Highway police have blocked traffic from both the side which is diverted to the old highway causing bumper to bumper traffic at the.
The traffic situation at the 100 km long Mumbai-Pune Expressway is clearly visible at the Google maps which has turned red on Saturday evening.
On Friday the MSRDC (Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation) issued a notice that the one lane of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway will be shut between February 22 and March 11. The MSRDC said in a statement that they are trying to fix the nets towards Pune corridor.
The netting work will be carried out between Amrutanjan Bridge to Khandala Bridge and will be busy for almost 20 days where other operational and maintenance vehicle will be deployed.
But after today’s huge logjam the MSRDC have not updated about their plans to carry out the maintenance work.
Here are some of the images of traffic at Mumbai-Pune Expressway:
Mumbai Pune expressway this morning at ghat area. pic.twitter.com/FXXFqbiI7y
— J P Singh. (@singhjph) February 20, 2016
Oil spill causes #Traffic congestion on #Mumbai – #Pune Expressway; traffic diverted pic.twitter.com/sTCBubRGMu
— Asif Rizvi (@journoasifrizvi) February 20, 2016
Photo | Heavy jam still continues on Mumbai Pune Expressway. pic.twitter.com/Bu4gtJVwWY
— MUMBAI NEWS (@Mumbaikhabar9) February 20, 2016
Tanker topples on Mumbai-Pune expressway, oil spill on both lanes. Commuters take note#MumbaiPuneExpressway pic.twitter.com/yxpMDRhiDs
— LocalPressCo Mumbai (@LocalPressCo) February 20, 2016
Chopper’s eye view of massive Mumbai-Pune expressway ghat serpentine jam right now pic.twitter.com/3ueJPaEq9u
— Rishad Cooper (@rishadcooper) February 20, 2016
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