An X user on Tuesday shared a travel update that left many Mumbaikars astonished, the Andheri to Churchgate journey was taking 32 minutes by road and 34 minutes by fast local. The post described it as an “unusual traffic pattern,” since Mumbai’s suburban trains are almost always the quicker and more dependable way to travel, especially during rush hours.
The surprising observation quickly went viral, prompting discussions about the city’s unpredictable traffic behaviour and how, on rare occasions, road travel can match the speed of Mumbai’s famed local trains.
Mumbaikars React: ‘Looks Like Everyone’s Left for Vacation’
Social media was flooded with reactions, with users sharing how unusually empty the roads felt across the city.
One commuter wrote, “First time I found bare minimum traffic on SCLR at Kurla. I was shocked, looks like the entire city has left for vacations.”
Another user added, “Enjoy the day while it lasts. It was the same yesterday too. Drove on the Western Express after ages, from tomorrow it’ll be back to the usual chaos.”
A third commented, “Roads were completely empty today. Best day to drive I went all the way from Thane to Babulnath Temple via the Coastal Road without a single jam.”
Another said, “Yesterday evening I reached Chandivali in 18 minutes from Chakala, Andheri, a route that normally takes 45 minutes to an hour. It felt unreal.”
The reactions perfectly captured the sense of disbelief among Mumbaikars, who are used to crawling through traffic rather than cruising freely.
Mumbai’s Endless Traffic Struggles
For most residents, traffic congestion is as much a part of daily life as the monsoon or the local trains. Narrow roads, inadequate parking, and a growing number of vehicles have turned Mumbai into a city where gridlock rarely takes a break. Add to that ongoing metro work, frequent road repairs, and rising delivery and cab traffic, and it’s no surprise that the city often comes to a standstill.
Even on clear weather days, the Western Express Highway, SV Road, and the Bandra Worli Sea Link remain packed. Short commutes can take twice as long because of bottlenecks at flyovers and junctions that can’t keep up with the volume of vehicles.
Why Today Was Different
Typically, the Andheri to Churchgate stretch, about 25 kilometres, takes more than an hour during peak time. Tuesday’s unusually quick 32-minute drive indicated lighter road traffic, possibly because of post-festival holidays, work-from-home schedules, or a temporary drop in office rush.
The Everyday Commute Battle
Despite the occasional smooth drive, most Mumbaikars know that the calm won’t last. As one user aptly put it, “Enjoy the empty roads while you can.” The city’s love-hate relationship with traffic continues, where even a half-hour journey feels like a luxury and empty highways feel like a dream.
