Chairman of EKA Mobility and Pinnacle Industries, Dr. Sudhir Mehta, is in the limelight as he boarded a helicopter to escape the Mumbai-Pune Expressway after an eight-hour wait. He documented the incident in a post on social media and urged the authorities to build heliports for emergency evacuations in such situations.
Hundreds of commuters were left stranded for hours on Tuesday evening after a tanker accident on the route. Recalling the incident where a massive traffic jam on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway left thousands of people stranded for hours, he recommended construction of emergency exits along the route. In a post on X, a Pune-based industrialist said, “Lacks of people stuck on #Mumbai #Pune expressway for last 18 hours due to ‘one gas tanker’.
He blamed the blockage of the high-speed corridor on an oil tanker accident, adding: “For such emergency situations, we have to plan exits at various points on the highway that can be opened to allow vehicles to return.” In this difficult situation, he sought the help of veteran airman Nitin Welde, who accompanied him back to Pune. Sudhir Mehta praised the Civil Aviation Helicopter Adviser for his help when he proposed emergency measures.
According to him, the construction of helipads costs less than ₹10 lakhs, which requires less than one acre of open area. Emphasizing the need for better emergency planning and improved facilities, he added, “This must be made mandatory at various points near the expressway for emergency evacuation. The EKA chairman also shared some aerial footage of grueling traffic jams.”
What got the cars stuck on the high-speed corridor?
Traffic was disrupted around 5pm on Tuesday when a tanker carrying highly flammable propylene tragically overturned, authorities said. The incident took place near the Adoshi tunnel in Raigad district in the hilly part of Khandala Ghat, PTI reported. Traffic was suspended due to a highly flammable gas leak from the vehicle.
According to the report, vehicular movement on the Mumbai-bound road was finally restored in the wee hours of Thursday, nearly 33 hours after the tanker overturned. Traffic was restored at 1:46 am, an official from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) told PTI.
At the peak of congestion, the lineup of motorists stretched up to 20 km. Without essentials such as food, water and toilet, passengers, including women and children, remain trapped in their vehicles.
