Ganeshotsav Rush Chokes Thane’s Konkan Corridor; Buses Take Hours To Reach Mumbai-Goa Highway

Thane, September 12, 2026: The annual Ganeshotsav exodus towards Konkan brought traffic movement across Thane and adjoining areas to a near standstill on Saturday, with thousands of private vehicles, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses and private tourist coaches heading towards the Mumbai-Goa highway (NH 66).

Key Feeder Routes Choked

The congestion was particularly severe on the Mumbra Bypass, Majiwada flyover and the Shilphata–Kattai road stretch, which are among the key feeder routes connecting Thane to Panvel and the Mumbai-Goa highway. Traffic queues from the Palaspe Phata junction also spilled back towards Navi Mumbai and Thane’s border areas, affecting local commuters, city buses and festival-bound vehicles.

Travellers said stretches that normally take considerably less time were taking several hours to negotiate. “Getting out of Thane city turned into a real test of patience. The entire stretch connecting Shilphata to the highway link was choked bumper-to-bumper, and even local city buses were completely trapped in the festival exodus,” said Snehal Kulkarni, a motorist stuck near Mumbra Bypass.

Shrirang Barge, general secretary of the Maharashtra ST Karmachari Congress, said the sharp increase in bus movement towards Konkan was contributing to the delays. “Bus movement towards Ratnagiri and other parts of the Konkan region is currently very high. There is a possibility of delays as the number of buses operating on particular routes has suddenly increased. More than 5,200 buses are operating on these routes. Every year, commuters face similar problems. Besides this, bottlenecks in the Chembur area and on the Vashi Bridge could further add to the delays,” he said.

Heavy Traffic Towards Panvel

Rohan Pawar, who travelled by bus from Parel depot to Sawantwadi, said the traffic was particularly heavy on the Mumbai-Goa highway. “I took a bus from Parel depot to Sawantwadi, but there was heavy traffic on the Mumbai-Goa Highway. It took almost two hours just to reach Panvel. I usually prefer travelling by train, but this time I could not get a train ticket,” he said.

Deepak Chavan, working president of the Ganeshbhakt Konkanvasi Pravas Sangh, said buses travelling from Mumbai and other urban areas towards Konkan were facing delays because several stretches of the Mumbai-Goa highway were still under construction, while congestion in market areas was further slowing movement.

Construction Adds To Delays

“A bus that left Mumbai yesterday took nearly 12 hours to reach Chiplun. Buses booked by politicians often receive preference and are of better quality, whereas the quality of buses provided for group bookings also matters during the journey. However, compared to a few years ago, the toll-free routes and Atal Setu are helping buses cross the Navi Mumbai area faster,” Chavan said.

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The festival rush has resulted in a simultaneous increase in the movement of private cars, MSRTC buses and private tourist coaches, putting additional pressure on already congested feeder roads. The delays have also affected regular city commuters and public transport services.

The MSRTC traffic general manager was contacted to ascertain the latest situation, the number of buses affected and measures being taken to manage the festival traffic, but there was no response.

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