Mumbai, The Maharashtra government is examining the feasibility of airlifting damaged tankers in extreme emergencies following a recent gas tanker accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway that caused a 36-hour traffic disruption, the assembly was informed on Saturday.
The government has ordered the formulation of SOPs and strengthening of emergency response mechanisms, including setting up dedicated hazardous material response units on highways and strengthening fire-fighting systems.
Replying to a discussion raised through a Calling Attention Notice, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said the tanker carrying highly flammable material had a valid licence and was undergoing regular inspections.
The vehicle overturned after the driver lost control on February 3 in the mountainous Khandala Ghat section, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded and creating a nightmare for travellers. A major disaster was averted as authorities acted swiftly to prevent any gas leakage or fire, officials had said.
Shiv Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray raised concerns regarding preparedness to handle hazardous material transport, particularly in view of the movement of petroleum and volatile substances by companies such as HPCL and BPCL across major highways.
In response, Sarnaik said instructions have been issued to set up dedicated hazardous material response units on highways and strengthen fire-fighting systems, including provisions for foam, water and other fire-control mechanisms, especially in tunnels.
He also announced that the toll collected during the traffic disruption period would be refunded. While manual toll refunds were processed immediately, more than ₹5 crore collected via Fastag during the 36-hour period will also be reimbursed to vehicle owners.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while intervening in the debate, said the government is examining the feasibility of airlifting damaged tankers in extreme emergencies, as practised in some countries.
Acknowledging that many transporters lacked clear SOPs for handling such accidents, he said the government has directed companies transporting hazardous materials to maintain adequate rescue equipment and establish defined emergency protocols.
NCP MLA Jayant Patil suggested deploying helicopter services for rapid emergency response during severe traffic congestion.
The Chief Minister responded that helicopters are available, but night-flying restrictions pose operational constraints.
Authorities will enhance the Intelligent Traffic Management System to disseminate real-time information through signboards and SMS alerts to prevent vehicles from entering affected routes during crises, he said.
He added that necessary corrective measures would be implemented to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
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