Sharp Nails Found on Mumbai-Bound Samruddhi Expressway
Tyres punctured on Samruddhi Expressway, stranding motorists.
A dangerous act of vandalism has disrupted travel on Maharashtra’s Samruddhi Expressway, with sharp nails deliberately hammered into the Mumbai-bound lane, puncturing the tyres of at least three cars in the early hours of Wednesday. The incident, reported around 1 AM in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, has sparked outrage after videos showing neatly embedded nails in the high-speed carriageway went viral on social media, highlighting the potential for catastrophic accidents on the Mumbai-Nagpur route.
The Daulatabad police station was alerted by stranded motorists, prompting a swift response from law enforcement. “Our teams reached the site immediately, and we are investigating the extent of the damage and the number of nails involved,” a police official said. The authorities have summoned the road contractor responsible for maintaining the expressway stretch and are questioning individuals who were seen stopping vehicles at the scene to uncover the motive behind this hazardous act.
In one viral video, a motorist claimed that four vehicles suffered punctured tyres, emphasizing the danger posed by the lack of barricades on the affected stretch. “Vehicles travel at speeds up to 120 kmph here, and this could have led to deadly crashes,” the individual stated. Another video featured a distressed traveler, who, stranded with a family including three infants, reported no assistance from the expressway helpline despite repeated calls over three hours. “We had to pay to send our family ahead for safety,” he said.
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The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety and maintenance of the Samruddhi Expressway, a critical infrastructure project. Police are treating the case as a deliberate act of sabotage and are working to identify the perpetrators. Motorists have been advised to exercise caution, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward as the investigation intensifies to prevent future occurrences.
