At least thirteen people were killed and over two dozen injured after a massive multi-vehicle pile-up on the Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura district early Tuesday, police said, with dense fog severely reducing visibility.
The accident occurred around 4.30 am on the Agra-to-Noida carriageway under the jurisdiction of Baldev Police Station, where at least seven buses and several smaller vehicles collided. Some of the vehicles caught fire following the crash, officials said.
"Four people died, and 25 were injured in the accident. The vehicles collided due to low visibility on the Agra-to-Noida side of the Yamuna Expressway. Some vehicles also caught fire. All injured have been sent to the hospital," SSP Mathura Shlok Kumar said.
According to a Mathura Police statement on X, the pile-up at Milestone 127 involved seven buses and three smaller vehicles. "None of the injured are in critical condition," it said.
Visuals from the spot showed charred remains of buses that were engulfed in flames. Cranes were pressed into service to remove the damaged vehicles from the roadway. Police said passengers were ferried to their destinations in government vehicles, while traffic diversions were put in place as the stretch remained blocked for several hours.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the loss of lives in the accident and directed officials to ensure proper medical care for the injured.
"The loss of life in the road accident on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura district is extremely tragic and heartbreaking. My deepest condolences are with the bereaved families," he said in a post on X in Hindi.
"I have instructed the district administration officials to ensure proper treatment for the injured. I pray to Lord Ram to grant peace to the departed souls and a speedy recovery to the injured," Adityanath said.
The incident comes amid heightened concerns over road safety during the winter fog season. On Saturday, the Gautam Buddha Nagar Traffic Police issued a traffic advisory reducing speed limits on major roads and expressways in the district to prevent accidents during low-visibility conditions.
Under the advisory, the revised speed limits will remain in force from December 15 to February 15, 2026. On the Yamuna Expressway, the maximum speed has been capped at 75 kmph for light motor vehicles and 60 kmph for heavy motor vehicles. On the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, light motor vehicles are permitted to travel at up to 75 kmph, while heavy motor vehicles are restricted to 50 kmph.
Officials noted that the usual upper speed limits on these expressways are 100 kmph for light vehicles and 80 kmph for heavy vehicles. The advisory also specified that on the Noida Elevated Road, the maximum permissible speed is 50 kmph for light motor vehicles and 40 kmph for heavy motor vehicles.
The traffic police have urged motorists to strictly adhere to the prescribed speed limits in the interest of road safety during the winter season.
Meanwhile, dense fog also led to two separate accidents on Saturday on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway under the Dadri police station area. Police said three vehicles collided at the Chakrasenpur flyover, while around a dozen vehicles were involved in a pile-up at the Samadhipur flyover.
Local police teams rushed to the sites and cleared the damaged vehicles, parking them at safe locations to restore traffic movement. "There were no casualties in these accidents and traffic is flowing normally. Necessary legal action is being taken," a police spokesperson said.