More than 1.2 lakh motorists affected by the 32-hour traffic disruption on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway will receive toll refunds totalling ₹5.16 crore, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has confirmed.
The gridlock occurred on 3 February after a propylene gas tanker overturned near Khopoli, bringing traffic to a standstill and leaving thousands stranded without access to food, water or basic facilities.
The refunds will cover toll charges collected on both the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Pune-Bengaluru Highway during the crisis. Although toll collection was ordered to be suspended immediately after the accident, automated FASTag deductions continued at certain plazas until toll barriers were physically lifted.
Transaction data has been obtained from IRB Infrastructure, the concessionaire operating the toll stretch. Refunds will be credited automatically to affected motorists’ FASTag accounts within the coming week, and SMS notifications will be issued once reimbursements are processed. Commuters will not be required to submit manual applications.
The incident drew public criticism, including from MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who demanded accountability over the handling of the emergency.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a formal inquiry into the response mechanisms. A seven-member committee has been constituted to examine operational lapses and frame a permanent emergency traffic management protocol.
The state is also expediting the 13.3-kilometre Missing Link bypass project, which includes two tunnels and what is described as Asia’s tallest cable-stayed bridge. The project is now targeted for opening on 1 May and is expected to reduce congestion on the accident-prone Lonavala ghat stretch.
