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According to the deputy police commissioner, the truck experienced brake failure while attempting to climb the ghat.
Drivers complained of heavy traffic on the way up to Manpada and the Fountain Hotel. (Representative Image)
A truck carrying 50 tonnes of ash suffered a breakdown while climbing the Gaimukh Ghat early on Thursday, halting traffic between Thane and the Fountain Hotel on Ghodbunder Road.
The vehicle got stuck at the Gaimukh Ghat, disrupting traffic flow between Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, and Gujarat on Ghodbunder Road for almost 12 hours.
According to Pankaj Shirsat, deputy police commissioner for Thane traffic, the truck experienced brake failure around 1 am while trying to ascend the ghat.
There was a severe traffic bottleneck which couldn’t be cleared until late in the afternoon due to the subway work nearby and impatient drivers entering the wrong side of the road.
The initial attempt to remove the stuck truck was unsuccessful due to damage to its frame. Two large cranes were used to remove the vehicle from the carriageway and make room for other vehicles.
Drivers complained of heavy traffic on the way up to Manpada and the Fountain Hotel. Ashwin Shah, who was on his way to Panvel, reported that it took him almost an hour to cross the area on Thursday morning since traffic was using the wrong lanes for part of the route.
Commuter Saurabh Patel said several bus passengers decided to walk to the nearest intersection and look for other ways to get to work.
In September 2024, traffic on Thane’s Ghodbunder Road was blocked for over five hours after a truck fell from a flyover.
The truck was carrying 34 tonnes of a chemical from Nhava Sheva to Bawal in Haryana. The incident happened in the Patlipada region at around 7.30 am. The truck driver was taken to a nearby hospital after suffering minor injuries.
Locals complained of eye irritation from the chemical (paraformaldehyde) following the accident, although officials claimed it was not severe.
