Mumbai traffic horror: Actor Sonali Kulkarni shares 5-hour 'completely stuck' ordeal after flyover mishap triggers massive jam

Actor Sonali Kulkarni found herself caught in a massive traffic gridlock on the Mumbai–Pune route after a construction accident triggered widespread disruption across the city’s eastern suburbs.

The incident, which occurred late Tuesday night, led to severe congestion, leaving commuters stranded for hours with little to no official updates.

Mumbai Traffic Chaos After Flyover Construction Accident

The traffic jam was reportedly caused after a piling rig collapsed at an under-construction flyover site in Mumbai’s Mankhurd area. The accident occurred on the northbound carriageway of the Sion-Panvel Highway, resulting in the death of a police constable.


The constable, identified as Santosh Gopal Chavan, was struck while travelling on his motorcycle. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

The incident triggered widespread traffic snarls across key routes, including the Eastern Express Highway, affecting thousands of commuters.

Sonali Kulkarni Shares Ordeal in Viral Video

Kulkarni took to social media to share her experience, posting a video on Instagram that quickly went viral. In the clip, she showed long queues of vehicles stretching across the road, highlighting the scale of the disruption.

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A post shared by Sonali Kulkarni (@sonalikul)

“It’s been exactly five hours that we are stuck here. I’m going towards Pune. We called the traffic control team and they said to have patience as the jam is really bad and they are not sure when it will get resolved,” she said.

‘Completely Stuck’: Actor Appeals for Information

Describing the situation as frustrating and uncertain, the actor said commuters had no clarity on when the situation would improve.

“We cannot cross. We’re completely stuck and we can’t turn back either. Police, please if you know anything, you can come from the other side and let us know whether you can help us or share any update,” she added.

Her video has since drawn attention online, with many users sharing similar experiences of being stranded for hours.

Widespread Impact Across Mumbai’s Eastern Suburbs

The collapse of the piling rig led to a ripple effect on traffic movement, particularly across the eastern suburbs. Major arterial routes saw heavy congestion as authorities worked to manage the situation and clear the obstruction.

While traffic movement has gradually improved, the incident has once again raised concerns over construction safety and traffic management in busy urban corridors.

Sonali Kulkarni: Known Face in Indian Cinema

Sonali Kulkarni is known for her roles in films such as Dil Chahta Hai, Mission Kashmir, and The Good Road. Her account of the traffic chaos has brought wider attention to the challenges faced by commuters during such unexpected incidents.