MSRTC Cancels 139 Bus Services as Mumbai-Pune Expressway Remains Choked After Gas Tanker Accident
PUNE: Commuters traveling between Pune and Mumbai are facing severe hardships as the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) was forced to cancel 139 bus services on Wednesday. The move comes in response to a massive traffic gridlock on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway following a high-speed gas tanker accident near the Adoshi tunnel on Tuesday evening.
The disruption has hit the state’s premium services the hardest, with 73 E-Shivneri trips and 66 regular bus services scrapped. Thousands of passengers were left stranded at Swargate, Shivajinagar, and Mumbai-bound stations as the Expressway remained a virtual “parking lot” for over 20 hours.
Gas Leak Sparks Safety Shutdown
The chaos began around 5:00 PM on Tuesday when a tanker carrying propylene, a highly flammable gas, overturned in the Khandala Ghat section. Due to a continuous gas leak, authorities suspended all Mumbai-bound traffic to prevent a potential explosion.
While emergency teams from the NDRF and BPCL worked through the night to neutralize the leak, the backlog of vehicles stretched over 12 kilometers, paralyzed both the Expressway and the old Mumbai-Pune Highway (NH-48).
163 MSRTC Buses Stranded Across Divisions
The scale of the disruption is evident from the number of state transport vehicles caught in the tailbacks. A total of 163 MSRTC buses were stuck overnight, with drivers reporting that passengers, including women and senior citizens, were left without access to food, water, or restrooms for hours.
The division-wise breakdown of stranded vehicles includes:
- Satara: 46
- Solapur: 36
- Pune: 20
- Sangli: 18
- Kolhapur: 13
- Palghar: 12
- Thane: 11
- Mumbai: 7
Restoration of Services
MSRTC officials stated that services are being restored in a phased manner as traffic begins to crawl forward. However, commuters are strongly advised to check the status of their bookings before heading out. “Passenger safety is our absolute priority. We are coordinating with the Highway State Police to resume full operations only when the route is declared completely safe,” an official spokesperson said.
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Vineet Gupta is the Founder and Managing Editor of PuneNow, where he oversees local news delivery and explores mindful living, parenting, and personal growth. An alumnus of the University of Wales, Vineet has travelled extensively and worked across hospitality, finance, and academia. Now based in Pune, his diverse global background informs his hyper-local perspective, helping the community find meaning, balance, and connection in everyday life.
