Ganeshotsav Rush Triggers Severe Traffic Congestion on Mumbai-Pune Expressway

Mumbai, September 12: Heavy traffic triggered by the Ganeshotsav rush has caused severe congestion on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, particularly near the Khopoli exit towards Konkan, officials said on Saturday.

With thousands of devotees travelling to their native places in Konkan for the festival, traffic on the expressway has surged to nearly one lakh vehicles a day, compared with the normal 70,000 to 80,000 vehicles.

To ease the congestion, vehicles heading towards Konkan are being diverted from the Khopoli exit through Pali. However, the diversion has resulted in heavy traffic on the Khopoli-Pali-Pen route, with vehicles moving slowly and motorists facing long delays.

Around 400 police personnel have been deployed by Navi Mumbai Police since September 11 to regulate traffic on routes leading towards Konkan. Breakdown vehicles and cranes have also been stationed at the Palspe and Kharpada toll plazas to deal with vehicle breakdowns and other emergencies.

Traffic on the Mumbai-Goa Highway (NH-66) is also under pressure, particularly on stretches between Panvel and Indapur, and Mangaon and Chiplun. Rain-related damage and incomplete road works have narrowed several stretches, further slowing traffic.

Raigad Police have suggested alternative routes through Pen Bypass-Gagode-Varsai-Pali Phata-Wakan, Poyanad-Pejari-Nagothane, and Kolad-Sutarwadi-Nizampur-Mangaon to help motorists bypass congestion-prone stretches around Vadkhal, Nagothane and Kolad.

Police have appealed to motorists to exercise caution, maintain lane discipline and follow traffic rules while cooperating with personnel deployed along the routes.

Authorities have warned that traffic pressure is likely to remain high in the coming days as the movement of Ganeshotsav devotees towards Konkan continues.