Latest update:05 February 2026 at 13:01 IST

Industrialist Sudhir Mehta, stuck for hours in a massive traffic jam on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, boarded a helicopter to reach his city.

The chaos was sparked by a gas tanker accident. (Image source: X/@sudhirmehtapune)

Traffic jams are common in India, but what happened on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway after a tanker overturned was much more than just rush hour gridlock. For hours, cars, buses and trucks remained parked on the busy highway. Many passengers were exhausted and unsure when they would arrive home.

In the midst of this chaos, one industrialist decided he had waited long enough. After being trapped for about eight hours, he arranged for a helicopter to fly off the highway and reach Pune. What followed was not just a personal escape, but a larger discussion about how to handle such emergencies in the future.

He showed what he saw from the sky

Dr. Sudhir Mehta, President, EKA Mobility and Pinnacle Industries, posted pictures from his helicopter on X (formerly Twitter). “Hundreds of thousands of people are stuck on the #Mumbai #Pune Expressway in the last 18 hours for ‘one gas tanker’,” he said in his post. He noted that there is a need for better planning for such situations and suggested creating more emergency exit routes on the highway.

He also wrote that small helipads should be built near major highways, saying: “Helipads cost less than Rs 10 lakh to make and require less than one acre of open space. These should be made mandatory at various points near the highway for emergency evacuation.” He also thanked Nitin Welde, an air veteran and helicopter consultant in civil aviation, for helping him return to Pune.

One of the photos shows Dr. Mehta sitting inside a helicopter next to the pilot. Other photos show a long line of vehicles stuck on the highway from an aerial view.

People questioned his move

The post was shared on February 4, garnering over a thousand views and attracting numerous reactions. “Why do we need a helipad? Can’t they land on the highway just like in Dubai? Especially on newly built highways,” one user asked.

Another wrote: “How will the helipad solve the problem? How many people can evacuate from the standard LAX area on the highway?”

One frustrated commuter commented: “I was stuck for 12 hours and I was so angry. This is not the first time such an accident has happened on this highway. There has to be a way to do better. The lack of compassion for ordinary taxpayers is disturbing.”

Another person said: “What we need is to hold people accountable for such chaos. The civil authority should be equipped/prepared, and ready for all eventualities.”

What actually caused the chaos

The authorities concerned later confirmed that the disruption began around 5 pm on Tuesday, February 3, near Adushi Tunnel in Raigad district. A tanker carrying highly flammable propylene gas was reportedly traveling at high speed when it lost control on a steep slope and overturned.

Soon after, officials discovered a gas leak, prompting police to shut down traffic towards Mumbai as a precaution. This led to massive congestion not only on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway but also on the Old Mumbai-Pune Expressway (NH-48). Movement across the affected stretch was severely restricted.

Passengers were stranded overnight

The traffic jam reportedly extended for more than 15 hours, leaving hundreds of vehicles stuck overnight. Many passengers, including women and children, remained trapped in long lines with limited access to food, drinking water or toilets.

Authorities later reportedly advised travelers to avoid the Lonavala-Khandala Ghat section and follow official traffic guidelines before planning their trip.

Who is Sudhir Mehta?

Sudhir Mehta is a prominent Indian businessman and industrialist, who serves as Chairman and Managing Director of Pinnacle Industries, a leading automobile component manufacturer. He is also the founder and CEO of EKA Mobility, an electric vehicle company focused on commercial electric vehicles. As of 2025, Mehta’s net worth is estimated at $7.58 billion, which places him 490th globally among billionaires.

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