Independence Day 2025: Long Weekend Rush Brings Traffic Chaos At Igatpuri Samruddhi Exit

Travellers heading out for the extended Independence Day weekend faced frustrating delays at the Igatpuri exit of the Samruddhi Expressway on Friday, with social media posts highlighting the lack of traffic control measures.

An X user shared their ordeal, saying they had been stuck for “more than 25 minutes” at the toll point, alleging no traffic management or efforts by toll staff to release the traffic.

The incident came as thousands of vehicles made their way towards hill stations and tourist destinations in Nashik, Aurangabad, and beyond, taking advantage of the long weekend. The surge in outbound traffic has put heavy pressure on key routes, with the Samruddhi Expressway, officially known as the Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, experiencing significant congestion at major exits.

The Samruddhi Expressway, designed to cut travel time drastically between Mumbai and Nagpur, has been praised for its efficiency, but bottlenecks at entry and exit points during festive periods remain a recurring challenge.

Authorities have not yet issued an official statement, but traffic police are expected to be deployed in greater numbers over the next two days to manage the heavy flow, particularly during the return journey at the weekend’s end.