India, May 3 -- The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, a high-speed corridor where pedestrians are barred, turned fatal on Friday evening as a five-month-old baby died and his mother was injured after she allegedly tried to cross the stretch amid heavy traffic near Adaigaon in New Panvel.

Police said the woman, identified as Suvarna Shankar Kale, 24, a labourer from Adaigaon, was attempting to cross from one side of the carriageway to the other with her infant tied to her back when a car hit them.

The vehicle, a Hyundai Creta, was being driven by Sanket Balwant Chavan, 29, a resident of Andheri East, who was travelling towards Mumbai with his employer after attending an event.

"Walking on the expressway is strictly prohibited. Even two-wheelers a...