Thane: Nearly a dozen vehicles were damaged after a speeding truck rammed into them while descending the Gaimukh Ghat stretch on Sunday evening. An autorickshaw driver suffered minor injuries in the pile-up and was later discharged after treatment.
The truck driver fled the spot immediately after the collision, triggering chaos on the busy stretch. Mangled vehicles were left strewn across the road, resulting in traffic congestion for over an hour.
According to motorists involved in the accident, traffic towards Thane was moving slowly when the truck approached from behind at high speed and began hitting vehicles along the left side. After crashing into more than 12 vehicles, the truck finally came to a halt. No serious injuries were reported.
Police suspect the driver may have lost control while navigating the steep curve of the ghat section. Brake failure is also being examined as a possible cause.
“An autorickshaw driver sustained minor injuries in the collision and was rushed to a nearby hospital. He was discharged after treatment. The truck driver fled the spot after the collision, and efforts are underway to trace him,” said N. B. Kolhatkar, senior police inspector of Kasarvadavali Police Station.
Pankaj Shirsat, DCP (Traffic), Thane Police, said, “It appears that the driver lost control of the truck and hit the vehicles ahead. Traffic congestion occurred due to the stalled vehicles. Towing vans were deployed to clear the damaged vehicles, and traffic was restored within an hour.”
Notably, this is the second such incident at the same ghat section in recent weeks. On January 9, a truck carrying cement had crashed into 11 to 12 cars and a few autorickshaws while descending the slope, leading to a major traffic disruption that lasted several hours.
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