A massive traffic snarl was reported on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Monday morning as thousands of residents were heading towards tourist popular destinations and their hometowns after the onset of summer holidays.
The situation on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway deteriorated early morning on Monday, according to a report by Jay Maharashtra. The slow movement of vehicles led to long queues that stretched up to three to four kilometres between the Adoshi Tunnel and the Khalapur end of the Missing Link.
The traffic volume through the ghat section increased due to slowed movement.
The expressway was overwhelmed despite continuous efforts by highway police to regulate traffic and ease congestion.
Vehicles stuck for 7 hours on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Expressway
Apart from the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, a similar situation unfolded on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway. The report stated that in Palghar district, a six to seven-kilometre-long traffic jam was reported between Haloli and Varai near Manor.
The stretch has witnessed severe congestion since Monday morning. The impact of the snarls was especially visible on the Gujarat-to-Mumbai route.
The traffic movement came to a near standstill for almost three to four hours, during which hundreds of commuters remained stuck.
The authorities, according to the report, attribute the traffic snarls to a rise in the influx of private vehicles due to holidays.
Along with that, the traffic situation was further aggravated due to a stalled flyover construction along the Ahmedabad highway. The construction work created a bottleneck restricting traffic flow.
The authorities have advised commuters to avoid traveling during peak hours and also explore alternate routes wherever possible. The authorities have also urged the commuters to postpone non-essential journeys and carry sufficient water and food, given the likelihood of prolonged delays, in case or necessary travel.