Thackeray expressed displeasure over the lack of disaster preparedness and road maintenance on the expressway, saying the only thing managed “promptly and efficiently” was toll collection. He demanded that tolls collected during the traffic jam be refunded to motorists
Raj Thackeray expressed displeasure over the lack of disaster preparedness and road maintenance on the expressway. File Pic
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday criticised the state government over the 36-hour traffic congestion on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, questioning whether inquiries into such incidents ever lead to meaningful action, news agency PTI reported.
Thackeray expressed displeasure over the lack of disaster preparedness and road maintenance on the expressway, saying the only thing managed “promptly and efficiently” was toll collection. He demanded that tolls collected during the traffic jam be refunded to motorists and urged the government to prepare a concrete action plan to prevent similar situations in the future.
Traffic on the expressway came to a standstill after a tanker carrying highly flammable propylene gas overturned near the Adoshi tunnel in the ghat section on Tuesday around 5 pm. Commuters faced severe disruption, with the Mumbai-bound carriageway reopening only early on Thursday, 33 hours later.
In a post on X, Thackeray said, “The Mumbai-Pune Expressway was completely shut for nearly 32 hours. Passengers suffered terribly. And as usual, the government only ordered an inquiry into the matter. Many such incidents have been followed by many inquiries. The real question is: Does the government or the administration ever learn anything from them?”
मुंबई-पुणे द्रुतगती मार्ग जवळपास ३२ तास ठप्प होता. प्रवाशांचे कमालीचे हाल झाले. आणि यानंतर नेहमीप्रमाणे सरकारकडून या प्रकरणाच्या फक्त चौकशीचे आदेश दिले गेले. या आणि अशा अनेक घटनांच्या अनेक चौकश्या होतात. पुढे त्यातून काही बोध सरकार, प्रशासन घेतं का? हा प्रश्न आहे.
— Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray) February 5, 2026
मंगळवार ३… pic.twitter.com/2RA5yxOG0Z
He asked whether the administration has any ready action plan to clear roads quickly during emergencies.
“It has been 24 years since the expressway was completed. But during this period, the government neither considered exigencies that could arise nor ensured that the road remains of top quality. The only thing done promptly and efficiently was toll collection,” he said.
MNS chief questions govt’s preparedness, demands quick remedies
Thackeray questioned if the government’s responsibility is limited to building roads and collecting tolls. He noted that while a Mumbai-Pune high-speed railway project was announced in the Union Budget, ensuring a smooth and reliable road journey remains a priority.
“These days, no one can predict how long the journey between Mumbai and Pune, the growth engines of the state, will take,” the MNS chief said.
He urged the government to refund tolls collected during the jam and prepare a public action plan for immediate remedies in similar incidents, without creating unnecessary hurdles at checkpoints. Thackeray also questioned the role of guardian ministers, asking why citizens feel helpless despite administrative oversight.
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, India’s first 6-lane concrete, access-controlled tolled expressway, spans 94.5 km and connects Mumbai, Raigad, Navi Mumbai, and Pune.
(With PTI inputs)
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