The great escape: Stuck for 8 hours, Pune industrialist takes a chopper to bypass 33-hour expressway nightmare

Further, he suggested that authorities should build emergency exits at multiple points along the expressway to allow vehicles to turn around during such crises. He also called for helipads to be installed for emergency evacuations.

“Helipads cost less than Rs 10 lacs to make and require less than one acre of open area. These need to be mandatory at various points near the expressway for emergency evacuation,” he said.

Thanking officials for their intervention, Dr Mehta added, “@nitinwelde thanks for your help to get back to Pune today after being stuck for 8 hours.”

Describing the situation on the ground, he said traffic discipline had completely collapsed. “This is the state of the #Mumbai #Pune highway. Complete free for all including wrong side driving. The lifeline of connectivity for the region is deteriorating by the day,” he wrote.

“Travelling on the same is playing roulette on one’s life plus 7 hours to reach,” Dr Mehta added.

See the post here:

Lacs of people are stuck on the #Mumbai #Pune expressway for the last 18 hours for “one gas tanker “ . For such emergencies we need to plan exits at different points on expressway which can be opened to allow vehicles to return. Helipads cost less than Rs 10 lacs to make and… pic.twitter.com/u2EooiKjh3

— Dr. Sudhir Mehta (@sudhirmehtapune) February 4, 2026

The post quickly gained traction, with a user saying, “What we need is people to be held accountable for such a mess. Civic authority should be equipped/prepared and ready for all eventualities.” Another user commented, “Agree.. along with emergency exits plan, restoration of normal traffic should be planned in a time bound manner by removing or airlifting the damaged vehicles immediately.”

“High time for govt to do some serious work on facility when people paying high tax. Scams just ruins our life,” a third user reacted.