Tempo overturns, oil spill leads to traffic pile-up at WE highway

Traffic came to a standstill at the Western Express Highway between Vile Parle and Borivli on Thursday morning after a tempo carrying edible oil overturned at Hanuman Road in Vile Parle (east).

Traffic came to a standstill at the Western Express Highway between Vile Parle and Borivli on Thursday morning after a tempo carrying edible oil overturned at Hanuman Road in Vile Parle (east).

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According to the Vile Parle police, the tempo driver, Subhash Kumar Singh, a 28-year-old resident of Nalasopara (east), was on his way from Andheri to deliver the cartons of edible oil to south Mumbai when the tempo overturned on Western Express Highway at around 11.30am.

“The tempo overturned and the oil spill covered a stretch of at least 400-500 feet on the highway. The area was immediately cordoned off. We had to summon the fire brigade and at least 15-17 traffic personnel were involved in clearing the road,” said PP Temkar, senior inspector of Vakola traffic police chowky.

The traffic police said that there was a traffic pile up for at least an hour and only one of the six lanes on the southbound stretch was functional.

“Thankfully, no casualties were reported. However, because we had completely cordoned off the area, the traffic stretched as far back as Borivli and was cleared only after an hour,” said Temkar.

The Vile Parle police said that they registered a traffic accident case against Singh, following which he was let off after he paid a fine of Rs. 300.

“Singh has said that the front wheels of the tempo jammed, following which he lost control of the vehicle and it overturned. He has been asked to appear before a magistrate’s court on Friday which will decide on the fine he will be charged,” said S Varal, inspector of Vile Parle police station.

Malvika Gore, a 24-year-old media professional, who was present at the spot when the tempo overturned said, “The police took at least 15 minutes to arrive at the spot. Despite the overturned tempo, people continued to pass by the place, which spread the oil even further.”