Tanker topples on Ghodbunder Road; massive traffic jam between Mumbai and Thane

Vehicular movement on Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway also hit; traffic unlikely to clear before Thursday evening

A loaded LPG tanker overturned on Thane’s arterial Ghodbunder Road on Thursday afternoon, leading to severe traffic jam. The accident has taken place near Fountain hotel and has blocked traffic on Ghodbunder Road as well as Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway.

Traffic jam after log gas tankers overturn at GB road thane photo by (Parful Gangurde)

Currently, there’s bumper-to-bumper traffic stretching four to five kilometres on Ghodbunder Road. It is unlikely to clear before evening.

LPG is highly inflammable, so as a precautionary measure, fire officials at the spot have asked all motorists and commuters to switch off their mobile phones.

The tanker toppled while taking a sharp turn near Fountain hotel on Thursday afternoon. (Praful Gangurde)

The tanker, which was heading from Thane to Vasai, tilted and overturned while taking a sharp turn.

Police are trying to clear traffic by allowing Mumbai-Thane and Mumbai-Ahmedabad traffic to alternately use the stretch of the road that is available.

Two fire tenders from the Mira-Bhayander civic body are at the spot. A crane has also reached the site to move the tanker off the road, but it will take a couple of hours, so traffic will remain badly affected for a while. “The accident has hit traffic, and it will take time to clear it as the overturned tanker is full of LPG. We don’t want to do anything in a rush as it can lead to a worse accident,” said Anil Mangle, traffic police Inspector, Thane. “Traffic may not clear till evening.”

Nobody was injured in the accident.

Inputs from Ram Parmar