Now Reading: Man dies as SUV crashes into tempo in Mumbai-Pune tunnel
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Man dies as SUV crashes into tempo in Mumbai-Pune tunnel
A 35-year-old man died and six others were injured when a speeding Toyota Fortuner rammed into a vegetable-laden Eicher tempo inside a tunnel on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway's new 'Missing Link' section early…
The Story in Brief
A 35-year-old man died and six others were injured when a speeding Toyota Fortuner rammed into a vegetable-laden Eicher tempo inside a tunnel on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway's new 'Missing Link' section early Friday. The crash happened around 1:20 am near Lonavala under Khandala Traffic Aid Post, police said.
The deceased, Tushar Bhumkar of Wakad, Pimpri Chinchwad, was among five occupants of the SUV. Police said the Fortuner, travelling from Pune to Mumbai, hit the tempo from behind after an overtaking manoeuvre, causing both vehicles to overturn. CCTV captured the impact. Traffic was diverted through the old highway for about two hours while rescue teams cleared the site.
The Indian Opinion
Initial reports suggest speeding caused this crash, and the response has been to blame the driver. Yet the 'Missing Link' was touted as a safer alternative to the ghat section. The death of one man in a brand-new tunnel should prompt a hard look at speed enforcement, not just driver error. Will police release speed data from the tunnel's systems, and will the MSRDC review its signage and patrol protocols? A concrete answer will settle whether this was a one-off or a design flaw.
Sources (3): ndtvprofit.com, hindustantimes.com, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
