Chemical Container Truck Overturns at Hathkhamba; Mumbai–Goa Highway Blocked for Three Hours

Chemical Container Truck:

A container carrying pesticide chemicals from Goa to Mumbai overturned near Hathkhamba in Ratnagiri, causing a massive traffic jam on the Mumbai–Goa Highway for nearly three hours. Police cleared the route by early afternoon using cranes. This marks the third accident at the same location in the last three months.

Full English News Article

Ratnagiri: Traffic on the busy Mumbai–Goa Highway came to a standstill for almost three hours on Wednesday after a container truck transporting pesticide chemicals from Goa to Mumbai met with a major accident near Hathkhamba.

According to police, the container lost control and overturned on the highway, blocking both sides of the road. As the vehicle was loaded with chemical stock, the authorities immediately restricted movement to prevent any hazardous spill.

Traffic Completely Blocked

Due to the accident, thousands of vehicles travelling between Mumbai, Goa, and the Konkan districts were stuck for several kilometres. Long queues of cars, buses, and trucks formed on both sides of the road, creating severe inconvenience for commuters and transporters.

The Ratnagiri Police and highway officials reached the spot promptly and used a crane to lift and move the overturned container off the road. Traffic was finally restored around 1 PM.

Recurring Safety Concerns

Local residents and commuters expressed concern that this is the third major accident at the Hathkhamba stretch in just three months, raising questions about road safety, signage, and accident-prone curves on this part of the highway.

Authorities are expected to review safety measures and identify long-term solutions to prevent further accidents.