Traffic chaos on Mumbai-Pune E-way, passengers stuck for over 18 hrs

Traffic was paralysed overnight on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway after a gas tanker overturned in the Khandala Ghat section, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded and causing massive congestion on both carriageways, officials said on Wednesday. Vehicles remained stationary near the accident site for several hours amid the traffic chaos stretching for over 20 hours, leaving passengers, including women and children, without food, water, and toilet facilities.

Mumbai-Pune Expressway has been made a hell-hole thanks to heavy traffic. There is no system of help in case of a breakdown. A great road has been systematically turned into a disaster zone.
Take Vande Bharat pic.twitter.com/S1Jo0XlEGj

— Smita Deshmukh (@smitadeshmukh) February 4, 2026

The accident occurred around 5 pm on Tuesday in the Khandala Ghat section in Raigad district when a tanker carrying highly flammable 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. Officials said only about 50 per cent of the gas had been safely released by Wednesday morning, and the operation to neutralise the remaining load was likely to continue till late evening.

Several commuters took to social media to share their ordeal, describing the expressway as a “parking lot” and urging others to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary. Highway police said experts had advised halting traffic for about 5 km around the accident site to ensure safety while the gas was being handled. The Mumbai-bound corridor near Khandala remained closed, causing long queues and slow movement even for Pune-bound motorists.

VIDEO | Traffic was paralysed overnight on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway after a gas tanker overturned in the Khandala Ghat section, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded and causing massive congestion on both carriageways. Visuals from the spot.#Pune #PuneMumbaiExpressway

(Full… pic.twitter.com/kbhHIalmcG

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 4, 2026

The Maharashtra Highway Traffic Police have appealed to commuters to avoid the Mumbai-Pune Expressway until normal traffic resumes, as operations to safely remove the tanker and contain the gas leak continue on a war footing. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway is India's first 6-lane wide concrete, access-controlled tolled expressway. It spans a distance of 94.5 km connecting Mumbai, Raigad and Navi Mumbai with Pune.