Pune: In a worrying incident on Sunday evening, a private bus traveling from Alibaug to Pune’s Swargate witnessed a major scare when its emergency exit panel was torn off by strong winds while moving through the ghat section of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway near Khopoli.
The mishap occurred around 6:20 pm, when the emergency exit window—located on the roof—suddenly detached with a loud noise, startling over 40 passengers on board. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The bus had departed Alibaug at around 3:30 pm and was navigating the hilly stretch when the incident unfolded.
A passenger seated near the front informed the driver, who stopped the vehicle after covering some distance. The conductor managed to retrieve the dislodged panel, but the bus soon developed a mechanical issue, causing further inconvenience. Passengers were left waiting in the evening heat for more than an hour without any clear communication or support from the bus staff.
Eventually, the bus was restarted and continued to Lonavla, where passengers were transferred to another vehicle to continue their journey to Pune. What should have been a routine trip ending by 7:30 pm was significantly delayed, with passengers expected to reach their destination only by 10:00 pm or later.
A transport department insider confirmed that the bus was under the Alibaug depot’s operation. While the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has previously stated that its fleet had been thoroughly serviced, this incident has raised fresh concerns over the safety and maintenance of public transport vehicles on major intercity routes.
