Potholes have emerged on the newly inaugurated 76-kilometre stretch of the Samruddhi Mahamarg between Igatpuri (Nashik) and Amane (near Mumbai), posing a serious threat to motorists cruising at high speeds. The stretch was inaugurated to much fanfare by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde on June 5.

A Mumbai-based motorist who travelled on this stretch on Sunday shared photographs with mid-day, showing multiple potholes on the asphalt section of a bridge near the Shahapur exit. “While driving from Igatpuri to Mumbai, I was shocked to see potholes on the tar surface of the road just before the Shahapur exit. Vehicles travel at 100–120 kmph on this highway, a car hitting one of these potholes at that speed can easily lead to a fatal crash,” the motorist said on the condition of anonymity.