Baramati MP and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Working President Supriya Sule voiced her concern over the persistent traffic congestion on the Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway (Pune-Mumbai Expressway) by sharing a video on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday evening. She urged the Maharashtra government to swiftly address and resolve the ongoing issue.
In her post, she expressed, "While travelling from Mumbai to Pune on the Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway, there was a significant traffic jam in the ghat area. Previously, this route was known for its smooth travel. However, lately, it has been causing trouble due to traffic jams. Apart from causing time wastage, it contributes to environmental damage as petrol and diesel are wasted. I request the state government to address this issue immediately and alleviate the inconvenience faced by commuters."
Social media users echoed Sule's sentiments, emphasising the need for prompt government action. Some suggested strategies, such as redirecting heavy vehicles to the old national highway while allocating the new one for ST buses, private buses, and private four-wheelers to ease traffic congestion.
One user shared his experience, "On Saturday, we travelled on this highway at 3am, but a 10km stretch in the ghat was jammed. It took 1.2 hours to cover this stretch, which is unacceptable, especially when we pay over ₹300 for the expressway."
Another user suggested stringent rules and hefty penalties for truck drivers not adhering to lane regulations. "This is all because of the heavy vehicles that don’t follow the lane discipline. The government should make strict rules regarding that and impose heavy penalties on the truck drivers for not following their lanes Only that can solve the issue," he wrote.
Another user mentioned the lag in infrastructure development concerning the state's population growth, stating, "Maharashtra has a track record of delayed infrastructure development concerning population growth. We often start building infrastructure only when we realise it’s too late."
