Industrialist takes helicopter after being stuck for 8 hours on Mumbai-Pune Expressway

Industrialist Sudhir Mehta takes a helicopter after being stranded for eight hours on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway due to traffic.

Pune-based industrialist Sudhir Mehta took a helicopter to return to the city after being stranded for eight hours on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway due to a massive traffic jam caused by an overturned gas tanker.

Commuters were stuck on the expressway for over 30 hours after the tanker accident on Tuesday (February 3, 2026) evening, as it led to the suspension of traffic movement for safety reasons due to leakage of the highly flammable gas from the vehicle.

Sudhir Mehta, Chairman of Pinnacle Industries and EKA Mobility, in a post on X, said he took a helicopter to get back to Pune on Wednesday (February 4) after being stuck for eight hours.

He also posted some aerial shots of the massive traffic jam on the expressway.

Reacting to the prolonged traffic disruption, he said such incidents highlight the need for better emergency preparedness on high-speed corridors like the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

"Lacs of people are stuck on the #Mumbai #Pune expressway for the last 18 hours for "one gas tanker". For such emergencies, there should be planned exit points at different locations on the expressway which can be opened to allow vehicles to return," Mr. Mehta said in his post on Wednesday (February 4).