• Source:JND

Pune-Mumbai Expressway: Traffic movement between Pune and Mumbai slowed sharply on Saturday as a large number of commuters and tourists hit the roads over the weekend. The rush was higher due to the festive season and increased travel to nearby hill stations. The Pune-Mumbai Expressway, especially the ghat section, saw long queues and extended delays.

Ghat Stretch Becomes Major Bottleneck

Highway police said the ghat section turned into the main congestion point on both the Expressway and the old Pune-Mumbai highway. The traffic load increased as vehicles moved between the two cities and towards popular tourist destinations. Movement became slower when several heavy vehicles broke down on the steep stretches, blocking lanes and disrupting the flow.

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Police Enforce Traffic Breaks

To manage the situation, highway police were forced to impose multiple traffic breaks. According to officials, at least six such controlled halts were implemented on the Expressway to reduce pressure on jammed lanes. These measures were taken to prevent further build-up and to clear stuck vehicles.

How Traffic Breaks Work

Vikrant Deshmukh, Superintendent of Police, Pune Division (Highway Police), explained that traffic breaks allow vehicles from heavily congested routes to move temporarily across all available lanes. Traffic on the less crowded side is stopped briefly, allowing faster clearance of backlog. Normal traffic movement is restored once congestion reduces.

Impact On Other Highways

The traffic surge was not limited to the Expressway. Roads connecting Pune to Satara, Nashik, Solapur and Ahilyanagar also saw heavy congestion. Ongoing construction work on the Nashik highway and breakdowns of heavy vehicles on other routes added to the delays.

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Spillover Into City Areas

Congestion spilled into internal routes such as the Katraj–Dehu Road bypass and key areas of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad. Localities including Wakad and Hinjewadi were among the worst affected, with commuters reporting longer travel times throughout the day.


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