Pimpri-Chinchwad: Heavy traffic congestion brought vehicular movement to a near standstill on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway on Friday morning, with long queues reported on the Khandala Ghat stretch and in the Lonavala area. Commuters remained stuck for hours, raising fresh concerns over recurring bottlenecks on one of Maharashtra’s busiest highways.
The traffic jam occurred on the day when the much-anticipated Mumbai-Pune Missing Link project was set to be inaugurated. The project is expected to reduce travel time and ease congestion in the Ghat section. However, the situation on the ground told a different story, as vehicles remained stranded even before the formal opening.
Several travellers reported delays of over two hours. Commuters reported that traffic was heavy in both lanes towards Lonavala. After the Lonavala area and the ghat were passed, the traffic congestion situation was better. Visuals from the scene showed long lines of vehicles stretching across the hillside, with no clear signs of traffic easing.
Supriya Sule Stuck In Traffic…
Among those caught in the jam was Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) MP from Baramati, Supriya Sule, who was travelling from Mumbai to Pune. She recorded a video from her car showing the extent of the congestion. In the footage, vehicles can be seen lined up across lanes with little to no movement.
Speaking about the situation, Sule said that people, including children and senior citizens, had been stuck for hours. She noted that from her vantage point in the Ghat, not a single vehicle appeared to be moving. She added that while the view might look scenic, it was causing serious inconvenience to commuters.
Reason for Traffic Congestion Unclear…
Sule said it was unclear whether the inauguration event of the Missing Link project had contributed to the traffic jam. She pointed out that congestion in the Ghat is a daily issue, but the scale of the delay on Friday was severe, with people stranded for nearly two hours without movement.
She also highlighted that such delays have become routine for travellers on this route. According to her, the time taken to cross the Ghat varies widely, sometimes taking just 20 minutes and at other times extending to two hours or more.
Long Weekends: One Of The Reasons…
Sule urged the government and police authorities to take immediate steps to manage the situation. She called for better traffic control and deployment of additional personnel if needed. She stressed that the issue affects thousands of daily commuters and requires a long-term solution.
Authorities are yet to officially confirm the exact cause of the congestion. However, netizens on social media have claimed that as this is a long weekend due to Labour Day, many people are going to Lonavala and Khandala for a trip. Meanwhile, commuters continue to face delays, underlining the urgent need for effective traffic management on the expressway, especially during peak travel periods.
