Pune-Mumbai Expressway Missing Link Gains Urgency After 32-Hour Gas Tanker Chaos
The long-delayed missing link project on the Pune–Mumbai Expressway has surged back into public and political focus following a 32-hour traffic nightmare triggered by a toppled gas tanker in the accident-prone Khandala ghat section earlier this week. This critical infrastructure, designed to bypass the steep and winding ghat stretch, is now seen as an urgent necessity rather than just a convenience upgrade.
Traffic Standstill Exposes Infrastructure Gaps
The chaos began on Tuesday evening when a tanker carrying highly flammable propylene gas overturned near the Adoshi tunnel in the Borghat section, approximately 50 meters ahead of the tunnel on the Mumbai-bound carriageway. The accident forced authorities to halt traffic in both directions as a safety precaution due to gas leakage, creating an immediate jam affecting a 15-km stretch that eventually extended to nearly 50 km.
Thousands of commuters were stranded overnight, including children, senior citizens, and patients traveling for medical treatment. The congestion lasted until early Thursday morning, with traffic towards Mumbai resuming only after 1 AM once the gas was decanted into another tanker and the damaged vehicle removed using a hydraulic crane.
Human Impact and Emergency Response Challenges
The incident revealed significant human suffering and systemic failures. Stranded travelers faced severe hardships, with one Navi Mumbai resident reportedly riding a two-wheeler despite restrictions to rescue his mother who had been stuck without food for over seven hours. The disruption forced the cancellation of 139 state transport trips as several MSRTC and private buses remained immobilized.
Railway officials noted unusually heavy crowding on Pune–Mumbai intercity trains as desperate commuters abandoned road travel. Meanwhile, disaster management experts warned that the incident exposed serious shortcomings in Maharashtra’s preparedness to handle hazardous material accidents on high-traffic corridors.
Safety Concerns and Expert Warnings
Propylene, a pressurized and invisible hydrocarbon gas, poses extreme risks as it can form fast-moving vapor clouds that ignite with minimal sparks. "You don’t see flames, but you’re standing inside a potential fireball," cautioned a senior industrial safety consultant. Retired Major General P K Shrivastava, a CBRN expert, described the incident as a "wake-up call" for the state to deploy dedicated HazMat response units along critical highways like the Pune–Mumbai Expressway.
State disaster management director Bhalchandra Chavan acknowledged that authorities currently lack specialized technical capabilities to manage such emergencies effectively. He also noted that the delayed arrival of BPCL’s recovery team exacerbated the situation. An FIR has been registered against the tanker driver for rash and negligent driving, with officials warning that an explosion could have affected a 2–3 km radius had the situation escalated.
Missing Link Project Details and Timeline
The 13.3-km missing link, executed by Afcons Infrastructure Ltd at an estimated cost of Rs 6,695 crore, is designed to bypass the treacherous 19-km ghat section notorious for accidents, landslides, and prolonged jams during emergencies and monsoon months. The project comprises:
- Two tunnels (8.9 km and 1.9 km)
- A 900-meter viaduct
- A 650-meter cable-stayed bridge over Tiger Valley at over 180 meters height
The bridge will feature India’s tallest road pylons at 182 meters, surpassing the Bandra–Worli Sea Link. Originally scheduled for December 2025 completion, the project faced delays due to heavy rainfall, high winds, and safety concerns in the challenging ghat terrain.
Official Assurance and Public Expectations
Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) joint managing director Rajesh Patil confirmed that the project is 98% complete and in its final phase, with a firm target to open the stretch on May 1, coinciding with Maharashtra Day. "Safety standards will not be compromised," Patil emphasized, addressing concerns about rushed infrastructure following past mishaps.
Minister of state for PWD Indranil Naik stressed the need for long-term measures to prevent such disruptions, while transport industry representatives highlighted poor emergency response despite high tolls and taxes. For commuters stranded during the ordeal, the missing link now represents more than just faster travel—it symbolizes a critical safety upgrade that could finally end the expressway’s recurring crisis moments.
As traffic snarls stretched into a second night, questions resurfaced about whether the long-pending missing link could have mitigated the scale of disruption. The incident has transformed public perception of the project from a travel time reducer to an essential safety infrastructure that addresses fundamental vulnerabilities in one of Maharashtra’s most vital transportation corridors.
