The Samruddhi Expressway, showcased as one of Maharashtra’s flagship projects, ran into an unusual problem in the early hours of Wednesday. On the Mumbai-bound stretch near Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, at least three vehicles suffered punctured tyres, forcing motorists to halt. It also sparked a wave of speculation online.
Tyre Puncture Incident At Samruddhi Expressway
Videos of the incident circulated widely on social media, showing sharp metallic points embedded across the asphalt. According to Mid-Day, the images led to claims that nails had been deliberately hammered into the newly built highway. As concerns mounted, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) issued a clarification later in the day.
According to the agency, the objects were not nails but aluminium nozzles placed as part of crack-repair work carried out on September 9. Crews had used epoxy grouting to fill fissures in the first and second lanes of the Mumbai-bound carriageway, completing the work around 11:30 pm. Shortly afterwards, a few vehicles that crossed the diversion at speed ran directly over the exposed nozzles, resulting in tyre damage to three cars.
All You Need To Know
The damaged section was limited to a 10–20 foot stretch near Daulatabad. Nevertheless, the presence of protruding hardware on a high-speed corridor caused alarm, prompting senior MSRDC officials to visit the site once the incident gained traction online.
Here’s how the night unfolded:
- 12:10 am, September 10 – first reports of punctures.
- 12:36 am – a Highway Patrol Vehicle arrived on-site.
- By 5:00 am – workers removed the nozzles, and traffic returned to normal.
For MSRDC, though, the bigger headache lay in the fine print. Their own statement admitted the diversion system set up during repairs was inadequate, with no proper barriers and no clear guidance to force vehicles into safer lanes. In short, a flagship highway had been left exposed.
Also Read: 6-Days Maharashtra Itinerary: Where To Go, How To Reach And What To See
It’s a bitter twist for a project that has been marketed as nothing less than Maharashtra’s infrastructural crown jewel: a smooth, high-speed link between Mumbai and Nagpur. The corporation says extra caution will be taken during future repairs, as promised by officials.
Cover Image Courtesy: mahasamruddhimarg/Website and X
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