The truck lost balance and overturned right across the carriageway, effectively sealing off the road. With the container lying in the middle of the highway, vehicles heading towards Satara had nowhere to go, and within minutes, long lines of cars, buses and trucks began stacking up on both sides.

The mishap occurred on the busy Pune-Satara highway close to Shindewadi village, a stretch that sees heavy nighttime traffic from both private and commercial vehicles.

The accident took place during the night, catching many late-night travellers off guard and leaving them stuck for a prolonged period before help arrived.

Word of the accident reached Rajgad Police and the Highway Traffic Police, who rushed to the spot without delay. Understanding that every passing minute meant a longer jam, officers moved quickly to arrange a crane to haul the overturned container off the road.

After a good deal of effort, the crane operation succeeded in dragging the container to the side, finally freeing up the road. Traffic that had backed up for a long stretch slowly began to ease, and normal movement resumed on the highway soon after.

While no injuries or deaths were reported in the accident, the hours-long jam left scores of passengers and drivers frustrated, many of them losing precious travel time on what is otherwise a key route connecting Pune and Satara.

Highway traffic has since returned to its usual flow, but the Rajgad Police are now looking into what exactly caused the truck to overturn in the first place, with an investigation currently underway.