Amidst a major traffic jam on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, industrialist and Chairman of Pinnacle Group, Dr. Sudhir Mehta, was airlifted by helicopter. Dr. Mehta endured the gridlock for approximately eight hours before a helicopter was employed to safely transport him to Pune.
Dr. Sudhir Mehta, who also heads EKA Mobility and Pinnacle Industries, shared aerial photos of the jam on social media platform X following his airlift. He explained that the traffic was severely disrupted following a gas tanker incident, causing millions to be stranded for several hours.
(Drone footage courtesy: Satish Sathe)
Airlifted by Helicopter
Dr. Mehta expressed concerns regarding the emergency preparedness on the expressway. He emphasized the need for robust evacuation arrangements for such situations. Additionally, he suggested establishing emergency exit points at various locations on the expressway to facilitate vehicle U-turns if necessary.
Demand for Emergency Exit Points and Helipads
He also proposed that helipads should be constructed at multiple points along the expressway to ensure swift evacuation of people during emergencies. According to Dr. Mehta, helipads are cost-effective and require minimal open land for construction. He extended thanks to aviation consultant and air veteran Nitin Velde for assisting with helicopter arrangements, ensuring his safe return to Pune. It is reported that two lanes of the route have been reopened for vehicles, although officials state that normal traffic flow may resume only by late night.
