Traffic on the Mumbai-Nagpur route of the Samruddhi Mahamarg was diverted after an ethanol-laden truck overturned near Wardha. A subsequent accident at the same location killed four people. Authorities have issued advisories for commuters.
Four killed in second accident after ethanol tanker overturns on Samruddhi Mahamarg
Traffic on the Mumbai-Nagpur carriageway of the Samruddhi Mahamarg was diverted on Sunday after an ethanol-laden container truck overturned near Interchange (IC) 80 in Maharashtra's Wardha district, prompting authorities to issue an advisory for commuters.
According to an official statement, the container truck carrying highly inflammable ethanol overturned at around 3 am on Monday, completely blocking the Mumbai-to-Nagpur carriageway. As a result, traffic heading towards Nagpur has been diverted to the opposite carriageway, causing congestion along the affected stretch.
Traffic Advisory Issued
Authorities said motorists travelling from Nagpur towards Mumbai are advised to avoid using the Samruddhi Mahamarg up to Wardha for the next few hours and instead take the Nagpur-Amravati Highway before rejoining the expressway through the Amravati Gate interchange.
Similarly, commuters travelling from Mumbai towards Nagpur have been requested to exit the Samruddhi Mahamarg at the Amravati Gate interchange and continue their journey via the Nagpur-Amravati Highway.
Restoration Efforts and Fatal Crash
Officials said teams from the Highway Safety Patrol (HSP), Wardha Police, Fire Brigade and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) are at the site carrying out restoration work.
Since the overturned container is carrying highly inflammable ethanol, authorities are first emptying the container before removing it from the carriageway to ensure public safety.
Meanwhile, in a subsequent accident at the same location, a truck rammed into the rear of a four-wheeler, killing four members of a family from Wardha district. Officials said updates on the restoration of normal traffic movement will be issued every two hours.
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