Samruddhi Expressway accident 'manmade', claims Maha Oppn leader Ambadas Danve

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council Ambadas Danve Sunday claimed that the fatal accident on Samruddhi Expresswaywhere a mini-bus collided with the truck, happened after an RTO team stopped the truck. Danve said vehicles should be checked by the RTO after they cross the interchange toll and before entering the expressway. A team of the RTO stopped the running truck on the expressway, therefore the minibus collided with the truck, Danve said in a post on X, while terming the accident as "manmade".

The Samruddhi Expressway has become a business road. Police and RTO should stop vehicles on this expressway for a valid reason, which is not happening here. They should have checked the mini-bus which was overloaded," he told reporters."Vehicles should not be stopped on the expressway, otherwise what is the purpose of this expressway? Stopping vehicles in such a way is like inviting death on this expressway. Action should be taken against RTO officials who purposely stop vehicles on this expressway," Danve said.

At least 12 people were killed and 23 others injured when a speeding mini-bus hit a container in the early hours of Sunday on Samruddhi Expressway in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad), police said. There were 35 passengers travelling by the private bus, an official told PTI.Maharashtra CM has expressed grief over the incident and announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh each to the families of the deceased. He also ordered an inquiry into the accident. The 701-km-long Samruddhi Expressway, named Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, connects Mumbai and Nagpur traversing 10 districts including Nagpur, Washim, Wardha, Ahmednagar, Buldhana, Aurangabad, Amravati, Jalna, Nashik and Thane.