Pune, 11 July 2025: In a tragic accident on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway early Thursday morning, an MSRTC bus collided with a container truck near the Lonavala exit, resulting in the death of the bus driver and injuries to nine others, including the conductor. The accident took place around 3 AM in the Khandala ghat section.
The deceased has been identified as Irshad Shaikh, 38, a resident of Beed district. He was driving the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus which was headed from Baramati to Mumbai, carrying 33 passengers. Authorities said the collision was so intense that Shaikh died on the spot.
According to the Lonavala City Police, the bus rammed into the rear of a container truck that allegedly braked suddenly on a downward slope. The impact left the front portion of the bus severely damaged. A case of accidental death has been registered, and further investigations are underway.
Among the nine injured is the conductor, Sagar Gund, also from Beed. Three passengers with more serious injuries were admitted to a private hospital near Somatne Phata, while the remaining six were treated for minor injuries and later discharged.
Sub-Inspector Ravindra Mudal from the Highway Safety Patrol (HSP) said their team responded quickly after being alerted. "Our immediate focus was to shift the injured to the nearest hospital and ensure the expressway traffic was brought back to normal," he said.
Providing more details, Sachin Shinde, Divisional Traffic Controller at MSRTC’s Swargate depot, stated that the container truck appeared to have braked suddenly, leading to the fatal rear-end collision. He added that all necessary support was being provided to the victims and their families.
This incident highlights the recurring dangers of the ghat section on the expressway, particularly during night travel, and has once again raised concerns about road safety measures in high-speed zones.
