Issue was brought up at the state assembly sessions where CM, and Opposition gave suggestions and asked questions
The gas-tanker leak on February 3 caused 30- hour traffic snarl. Pic/PTI
Acknowledging the delay in response, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that neither the companies involved nor the government machinery was fully prepared to handle the situation on the Pune Expressway following the hazardous gas tanker accident, as it was the first time they had faced such an incident.
Speaking in the state legislative assembly on Saturday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is being worked out to plug the gaps and ensure better coordination during future emergencies. He was replying to a debate following the Pune Expressway gas leakage accident that sparked serious safety concerns in the House.
Back story
Early this month, massive traffic jams were reported on the Pune–Mumbai Expressway after a tanker carrying highly flammable propylene gas overturned at the Adoshi tunnel in Raigad district on Tuesday evening, leading to a major gas leak. The accident caused over 30 hours of severe congestion. The gas leak forced the closure of a key route, leaving thousands of commuters stranded and raising serious questions about the state’s emergency preparedness.
Transporting materials
BJP Mumbai unit president and MLA Ameet Satam questioned whether proper checks were carried out when the dangerous and highly inflammable material was being transported. He asked if the tanker was inspected before starting its journey and whether clear rules and regulations exist for vehicles carrying such hazardous substances.
Aditya Thackeray suggests
Shiv Sena UBT MLA Aditya Thackeray said the incident was a serious bio-chemical risk and pointed out that poor road conditions, including potholes, can increase the danger during transportation of hazardous material. He further suggested that such tankers should have predefined routes and only travel on smooth, well-maintained roads. The MLA from Worli assembly constituency further stressed the need for proper hazmat response systems and clear evacuation plans for people and vehicles in case of an emergency.
NCP suggest use of a helicopter and a technology-driven message system
Sharad Pawar-led NCP leader and MLA Jayant Patil said the government should consider having a dedicated helicopter to ferry emergency response teams to accident spots. He pointed out that due to heavy traffic, even agencies involved in relief operations found it difficult to reach the site on time. “The use of a helicopter could save time and ensure a faster response,” Patil said. The veteran NCP leader even suggested a digital-driven communication system to keep commuters informed.
Government to have a SoPs
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he personally felt that the response to the incident was delayed and could have been much faster. “This type of accident happened for the first time. The companies handling such hazardous materials were not fully prepared with proper rescue operations or a clear SoP to follow. For the government, too, this was a completely new case study. It is a wake-up call, and we are preparing a proper SoP to handle such situations in the future,” Fadnavis said.
The Chief Minister also assured that suggestions made by Aditya Thackeray and Jayant Patil would be considered. “Unfortunately, we do not have night landing and flying facilities for helicopters. But whatever best can be done, we will do and ensure a proper SOP is in place,” he added.
Fadnavis further mentioned that the government will work on improving communication with citizens during such emergencies and will explore whether IMS (which allows delivery of messages to users across different network services) alerts can be sent directly to people on their mobile phones.
Toll charges to be returned
Pratap Sarnaik, Transport Minister, mentioned that a decision has been taken to refund the toll collected on the disruption day.
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