Mumbai : Panic gripped motorists late Tuesday night on the Nagpur-Mumbai Samruddhi Expressway after several cars suffered tyre punctures caused by sharp nails hammered into the surface of a bridge.
Videos circulating online show rows of nails embedded on the road, forcing traffic to slow down and divert. Initial fears of a robbery attempt were raised by commuters, but later checks revealed that the nails had been placed by a road construction company carrying out repair work in the area.
Motorists expressed outrage over the lack of barricades or warning signs, questioning why such hazardous activity was undertaken at night. Many warned that punctured tyres at high speeds on the expressway could have triggered serious accidents.
The Samruddhi Expressway, hailed as Maharashtra’s “corridor of prosperity,” has often drawn criticism over frequent accidents and planning lapses. Authorities are expected to probe the incident and announce safety measures soon.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, the state government approved shifting of the congested Dahisar Toll Plaza. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde directed the MSRDC to relocate the toll point near nurseries in front of Versova Bridge. The work is to be completed before Diwali and is expected to ease traffic on the Dahisar–Mira-Bhayander–Andheri corridor.
