Over 50 Vehicles Punctured On Mumbai-Nagpur Highway After Passing Over Fallen Iron Board

Over 50 vehicles were punctured on the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Highway due to an iron board falling on the road. The incident led to traffic disruption and stranded passengers overnight.

File photo of Samruddhi Mahamarg.

Source : PTI

The commuters on the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Highway faced a grim situation as over 50 vehicles were punctured after passing over an iron board that fell on the road. The incident occured at around 10 PM on December 29, as reported by the NDTV.

As per the details of the incident, vehicles were reportedly punctured  between the Malegaon and Vanoja toll plaza in Washim district. The incident led to disruption in the traffic movement, as many four-wheelers and cargo trucks were struck in the jam. This resulted in long traffic jams due to blockage by the affected vehicles.

A report from The Indian Express stated that Anil Kumar Gaikwad, vice chairman and managing director of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which is responsible for Samruddhi Mahamarg upkeep and maintenance, has confirmed the incident. The MSRDC said that the state highway police acted swiftly, diverting the affected vehicles to the roadside, and ensured the safety of the passengers, and providing the people with water. 

The passengers faced harrowing experience as they were stranded on the highway overnight and no help came for a long time. As per the authorities, the incident is under investigation to know whether the board had fallen accidently or was thrown intentionally. They have also assured that steps are being taken to avoid such incidents in the fututre.

The Samruddhi Mahamarg is one of the country's longest greenfield road projects connecting Mumbai and Nagpur. This partially built functional six-lane and 701-km-long access-controlled expressway in Maharashtra was built at a cost of Rs 55,000 crore.

This high-speed corridor has been under scrunity for its safety. On June 28, 2024, seven people were killed on the spot after two cars collided on the Samruddhi Maharamarg in Jalna district. In this accident, the police said that, the speeding Swift Dzire hit Ertiga, which led to flung it in the air and landed on the barricade lining the highway.