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Massive pile-up on Mumbai-Pune Expressway: 1 killed, 20 vehicles crash; traffic crawls for 5 km
One person died and 18 were injured in a major collision involving 20 vehicles on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
One person was killed and 18 others injured after a speeding container trailer truck reportedly rammed into 18-20 vehicles on the Mumbai Pune Expressway on Saturday afternoon.
The incident took place near Adoshi tunnel under Khopoli police station limits in Khalapur taluka in Raigad district, news agency PTI reported, citing a police official.
“The driver of the container trailer truck lost control of the vehicle after brake failure. It hit at least 20 vehicles, including luxury cars like BMW and Mercedes, resulting in serious injuries to 19 persons,” he said.
The official said that a woman was killed in the incident, while the victims were admitted to a private hospital in Navi Mumbai.
"The driver was taken into custody by Khopoli police. However, a medical examination has shown he was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. A case has been registered and further probe is underway," he added.
The massive pile-up on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway brought traffic to a standstill near Datta Food Mall, shortly after the descent from the Lonavala-Khandala ghat section.
At least 20 vehicles, including luxury cars like BMW and Mercedes, have been involved in the crash.
Local reports suggested that a container truck, allegedly speeding, suffered brake failure and crashed into a vehicle, triggering a chain-reaction collision involving 18 to 20 vehicles.
The accident took place on one of India’s busiest expressways, which sees a daily volume of 1.5 to 2 lakh vehicles — numbers that surge further on weekends.
The pile-up also caused traffic to back up for nearly five kilometres, leaving scores of vehicles stranded.
The impact was severe — at least three vehicles were completely crushed, and several others were badly damaged. Many passengers reportedly received serious injuries. Emergency teams were immediately deployed to assist the injured and clear the wreckage, the reports said.
Traffic movement came to a halt, prompting authorities to divert vehicles via alternative routes. Police and local officials remained at the scene, working continuously to manage the situation and restore order.
