A massive pile-up took place on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Saturday afternoon, after at least 20 vehicles collided, killing one woman and injuring 18 others. The incident took place near Adoshi tunnel near Datta Food Mall, shortly after the descent from the Lonavala-Khandala ghat section, causing a massive traffic jam.
The pile-up was caused after a speeding container truck lost control after suffering brake failure and crashed into a vehicle. This triggered a chain-reaction collision, affecting at least 20 vehicles.
“The driver of the container trailer truck lost control of the vehicle after brake failure. It hit at least 20 vehicles, including luxury cars like BMW and Mercedes, resulting in serious injuries to 19 persons. They were admitted to a private hospital in Navi Mumbai. Of these, a woman died while undergoing treatment,” a police official told news agency PTI.
Big Breaking 🚨 🚨 🚨
Major accident on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway this afternoon involving 15–20 vehicles.
🙏 Please drive carefully, especially in the ghat sections. Stay safe!
— Pritesh Shah (@priteshshah_) July 26, 2025
The driver was taken into custody by Khopoli police. However, a medical examination has shown he was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident, the official said.
The pile-up also caused traffic to back up for around five kilometres, which left scores of vehicles stranded. At least three vehicles were completely crushed, while several others were damaged, Pune Pulse reported.
🚨 Major accident on Mumbai – Pune expressway this afternoon! Almost 15-20 vehicles crashed 🙏
Travel safely in the ghats!! https://t.co/MUHjgUUg4k pic.twitter.com/gYp6lcFkxS
— Mumbai Rains (@rushikesh_agre_) July 26, 2025
Emergency teams rushed to the spot to assist the injured and clear the road blockage. The authorities had to divert the vehicles via an alternative route after traffic came to a halt due to the pile-up. A case has been registered and further probe is underway.
Mumbai Pune Expressway sees a volume of 1.5 to 2 lakh vehicles daily, with numbers increasing further on weekends.
