“Fortunately, there was no leakage from the tanker. Our team and other rescue agencies rushed to the spot immediately and the vehicle was removed using cranes within 15 minutes, clearing the way for commuters,” Tanaji Chikhale, superintendent of police (highway), told TOI.Police suspect a brake failure as the likely cause of the accident. Officials said a major mishap was averted as there was no gas leakage. “The driver managed to control the vehicle in time, due to which a major incident was avoided,” a police officer said. The driver, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, suffered minor injuries. No other person vehicle was affected.A team from the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) company was informed about the incident, but as there was no leakage, the tanker was shifted to prevent congestion before they reached the spot, a senior police officer said.Traffic movement from Pune towards Mumbai was affected for around 15 minutes before being restored after the damaged vehicle was moved to an open space, a highway police officer said.“An official from our team rushed to the spot after receiving information. Since there was no leakage, the operator has been asked to arrange another vehicle to complete the onward journey,” a BPCL official told TOI.On Feb 3, a tanker carrying propylene gas, also from Kochi to Dahej, overturned on the expressway while heading towards Mumbai, leading to a leak and massive traffic snarls for almost one-and-a-half days. Thousands of commuters, including children and senior citizens, remained stranded on the road without food, water or washrooms following. The administration was heavily criticized for lack of measures in place to handle such emergency situations.In the aftermath, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered an inquiry and directed the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to prepare a report suggesting immediate measures to handle such emergencies in future.
