The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has confirmed the completion of emergency repairs on the Mumbai corridor of the Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg after minor cracks surfaced earlier this week. Officials said that epoxy grouting was carried out swiftly to restore road safety and ensure uninterrupted traffic flow. However, the contractor responsible for the stretch is now facing financial penalties due to inadequate safety and diversion arrangements during the repair activity.
According to MSRDC’s official communication, the cracks were reported over a 15-metre stretch near Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. While the defect itself was not categorised as severe, engineers intervened immediately as part of routine preventive maintenance. Epoxy grouting was applied using aluminium nozzles late on 9 September, and the stretch was reopened the same night. Despite the quick response, concerns were raised about how traffic was managed during the procedure. Officials acknowledged that vehicles strayed into the diversion zone shortly after midnight, damaging three tyres when they ran over the grouting nozzles. No injuries or accidents occurred, but MSRDC admitted that proper diversion planning and safety arrangements were lacking. A highway patrol vehicle was deployed promptly, and the nozzles were cleared by early morning on 10 September.
In light of the incident, MSRDC has moved to penalise the contractor, citing a failure to uphold safety norms. “Preventive maintenance is crucial for long-term road sustainability, but it cannot come at the cost of passenger safety,” an MSRDC official stated. The corporation stressed that accountability in execution is as important as technical quality, particularly on high-capacity corridors like the Samruddhi Mahamarg. The 701-kilometre expressway, connecting Mumbai to Nagpur, is among Maharashtra’s flagship infrastructure projects, built to boost trade, tourism, and regional connectivity. As one of India’s most ambitious highways, its upkeep is seen as a matter of both commuter confidence and regional economic stability. Infrastructure experts noted that even minor lapses in safety protocols on such critical assets can undermine public trust.
Officials added that the incident, though small in scale, reinforces the urgency of strict enforcement of safety audits. The state has been increasingly vocal about improving sustainability standards in its transport network, with emphasis on durable materials and timely maintenance to reduce repair frequency and carbon costs. With the festival season approaching, MSRDC has assured that all contractors on the Samruddhi Mahamarg have been instructed to comply with stronger safety protocols during future maintenance. For commuters, traffic on the corridor has since returned to normal, but the enforcement action serves as a reminder that the state will not compromise on accountability when it comes to road safety.
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