Nails found hammered on Samruddhi Expressway, several cars punctured — Scary video raises safety concerns

Several commuters travelling on the Samruddhi Expressway in Maharashtra were compelled to stop after their vehicle tyres were punctured by sharp nails fitted into the road in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. Following the incident, a safety concern was raised as the tyres of at least three cars were punctured in the early hours of Wednesday.

A visual shared by the Indian news agency IANS shows the nails neatly embedded in the Mumbai-bound arm of the high-speed carriageway. As per News 18, it is speculated that the nails were fitted into the road surface of the highway by an unscrupulous tyre repair gang.

DCP Prashant Swami told IANS, "Last night, a video went viral claiming that nails had been placed on the Samruddhi Highway. However, the truth is that maintenance work has been ongoing on this highway... Strengthening work was carried out yesterday using injectable nodules. The work was being done on lane number one, while lanes two and three remained open. Barricades were in place, but a vehicle broke through, causing a puncture."

What did the transporter say over the act?

In the video, transporter Santosh Sanap recounts the ordeal, questioning the absence of safety measures. He claimed that hundreds of nails were scattered on the expressway and alleged that police failed to act promptly despite being alerted. A crowd of stranded commuters is also visible in the footage.

Quoting a Daulatabad police station official, Indian news agency PTI reported that motorists raised the alarm around 1 a.m. “Our teams rushed to the spot. We are still determining how many nails were placed, but tyres of three cars were definitely damaged," the official said.

Police have also called in the road maintenance contractor and some individuals who had stopped motorists at the scene to assist with the investigation.