Mumbai–Pune Expressway Partially Reopens After 20-Hour Shutdown Due to Gas Leak
Lonavala, 4th February 2026: Traffic on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway partially resumed on Wednesday afternoon after a major gas leak forced a complete shutdown of the busy corridor for nearly 20 hours, bringing some relief to thousands of stranded motorists.
The disruption began on Tuesday around 5 pm when a gas tanker carrying highly inflammable propylene overturned near a tunnel in the Bor Ghat section of the expressway. The accident led to a massive gas leak, prompting authorities to shut down the expressway entirely in both directions as a safety precaution. Traffic was diverted to the old Mumbai–Pune highway, triggering massive congestion and vehicle queues stretching up to 20 km from Khopoli onwards.
After sustained efforts through the night and Wednesday morning, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) confirmed that the gas leak was successfully contained at around 3 pm on Wednesday. Partial traffic movement was then allowed using a single carriageway, with vehicles permitted on the Mumbai-bound stretch in both directions. However, traffic remained slow, with queues of 9–10 km still reported.
MSRDC Pune Superintending Engineer Rahul Vasekar said traffic is expected to become smoother after 6 pm, once the overturned tanker is fully removed. “The expert team has controlled the leak, and machinery has been deployed to clear the tanker. Normal flow should gradually resume later in the evening,” he said.
Initially, MSRDC had deployed a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team, but due to the complexity of the situation, technical experts from Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, and Reliance Industries were called in on Wednesday morning. Their intervention proved crucial in stopping the hazardous gas escape.
The prolonged shutdown caused severe inconvenience to commuters, including airport passengers, patients, and long-distance travelers. Many vehicles remained stuck for hours on the old highway, where long queues are still visible.
Authorities have advised citizens to avoid traveling on the Mumbai–Pune route for the rest of the day unless absolutely necessary and to use alternative routes. Full and smooth traffic flow is likely only from Thursday morning.
Toll collection has been temporarily suspended to ease the burden on commuters. Drinking water arrangements have also been made for stranded motorists, MSRDC officials said.
