Pune Satara Highway : Iron Angle Strikes On Vehicles Twice in Three Days In Khambatki Tunnel

In a concerning incident that has raised serious safety concerns, an iron angle once again struck a vehicle within the confines of the Khambatki tunnel on the Khandala-Satara-Pune highway.

This incident occurred at approximately 1:30 pm on Thursday, causing significant damage to the bonnet of a Swift car (Registration No. MH-01-BG-7760).

Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but the vehicle sustained substantial harm. As a result of the incident, traffic flow was restricted to a single lane through the tunnel.

The occurrence was first reported around 1:30 am on Thursday night, and in response, authorities opted to keep only one lane open for traffic within the tunnel.

Regrettably, the National Highway Authority (NHI) did not promptly provide a crane to remove the hazardous iron angle. In the absence of such assistance, Highway Police, represented by officers Bhuinj and Joshi Vihir, alongside other personnel, collaborated with passengers to safely relocate the iron angle away from the roadway.

Later on, after a delay of two and a half hours, the second lane of traffic heading towards Pune was reopened. Assistant Police Inspector Harshad Galinde of the Highway Police Squad Bhuinj, along with Police Sub-Inspector Vijay Jadhav, Police Krishnkant Nimbalkar, and Police Constable Santosh Lebhabe, worked diligently with the aid of passengers to ensure smooth traffic flow.

This incident exposes a pressing issue within the Khambataki tunnel: the presence of deteriorating iron angles installed nearly two decades ago in the year 2000. These aging iron fixtures, positioned at intervals of approximately 10 feet within the 900-meter tunnel, have begun to corrode and detach due to the passage of time. With roughly 50 such iron angles still in place, this poses an imminent threat to the safety of commuters. The potential for a loose iron angle to strike a moving vehicle or train on the busy highway necessitates urgent attention from the authorities.

It is imperative that the administration addresses this hazardous situation promptly, taking measures to assess and rectify the condition of these iron angles to ensure the safety of all those who rely on this vital transportation route.