Pune, 6th February 2026: In the aftermath of the massive 32-hour traffic standstill on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a formal inquiry and directed MSRDC to prepare a long-term emergency response plan to deal with such incidents in the future.
An official from the Chief Minister’s Office said the state government has sought a detailed report from MSRDC on how the situation was handled. “The Chief Minister has asked for a complete review of the incident and the response systems that were in place,” the official said.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also stepped in, asking MSRDC and the police to draft a special emergency traffic management plan for the expressway. Stressing the need to speed up the long-pending Missing Link project, Shinde said, “The Missing Link will reduce travel time and act as a lifeline during emergencies. Its completion must be treated as a priority.”
The disruption began on Tuesday around 4.45 pm when a tanker carrying highly inflammable propylene overturned near the Adoshi Tunnel in the Borghat stretch of the Khandala ghat section. As the accident occurred just before the tunnel on the Mumbai-bound lane, authorities shut the corridor as a safety measure.
Nearly 15 km of the expressway came to a complete halt, while traffic congestion was reported across a stretch of almost 50 km. Thousands of commuters, including families and long-distance travellers, were stranded for hours without food, water or clear information. The Mumbai-bound carriageway was finally reopened early Thursday morning.
Opposition leaders criticised the government and toll operators for collecting toll fees even as vehicles remained stuck for hours. “People were helpless and trapped. Charging toll in such a situation is unacceptable,” a senior opposition leader said.
The crisis has once again brought focus on the Missing Link project, which aims to bypass the accident-prone Lonavala ghat section. Officials say the project is likely to be operational in the next four to five months and is expected to prevent similar disruptions.
Once completed, the Missing Link will add four lanes in each direction, running parallel to the existing ghat stretch that currently has three lanes on each side. “The present ghat section has sharp curves and narrow stretches. One tanker breakdown can stop the entire expressway,” a senior MSRDC official said. “The Missing Link is designed to remove these choke points.”
Another official said the new route will include long tunnels, elevated viaducts and high valley bridges, while avoiding landslide-prone zones. “From a safety and disaster-management point of view, it will be a game changer,” the official said.
With finishing work and final safety checks underway, the state government hopes the Missing Link will finally put an end to repeated gridlocks on one of Maharashtra’s busiest highways.
