Traffic – Mumbai–Pune Expressway Faces Fresh Disruption After Brief Relief
Traffic – After nearly a day and a half of severe congestion, traffic on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway briefly returned to motion on Thursday, only to be disrupted again early Friday morning. A vehicle breakdown near the Bhor Ghat section triggered another standstill, leaving hundreds of motorists stranded and reviving concerns over emergency preparedness on one of Maharashtra’s busiest highways.
Breakdown Brings Traffic to a Halt at Bhor Ghat
Officials confirmed that movement came to a complete stop in the early hours of February 6 after a vehicle developed a mechanical fault near Bhor Ghat. With limited space to divert traffic in the ghat section, vehicles quickly piled up in both lanes. Authorities said traffic conditions are unlikely to ease until the disabled vehicle and other stranded automobiles are fully removed from the stretch.
Commuters reported being stuck for hours without clear information on when movement would resume. Many vehicles were seen lined up for several kilometres, compounding frustration among travellers who had already endured long delays earlier in the week.
Long Queues Reported Across Multiple Sections
Media reports indicated extended queues between the Amrutanjan Bridge and the Khalapur Toll Plaza. Traffic in and around Khopoli was described as extremely slow-moving, with vehicles crawling forward at a minimal pace. Several motorists took to social media to express anger over the repeated disruptions, pointing out that the expressway has seen congestion for multiple consecutive days.
For daily commuters and long-distance travellers alike, the renewed jam caused missed appointments, delayed deliveries, and increased fuel consumption, adding to the economic and personal cost of the disruption.
Government Orders Review and Emergency Measures
Following the earlier congestion that lasted more than 32 hours, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had directed the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident. The agency has been asked to submit a comprehensive report outlining the causes of the prolonged jam and recommending measures to prevent similar situations in the future.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde also reviewed the unfolding situation. He instructed officials to formulate a robust emergency traffic management plan and to accelerate work on the long-pending missing link project, which is expected to ease pressure on the ghat sections once completed.
Repeated Incidents Raise Planning Concerns
The latest breakdown has once again highlighted structural and operational challenges on the expressway, particularly in high-risk areas such as Bhor Ghat. Limited breakdown bays, narrow stretches, and heavy vehicle movement often leave little room for error, making even a single stalled vehicle enough to paralyse traffic.
Experts have repeatedly stressed the need for quicker response mechanisms, including rapid deployment of tow trucks, better coordination among agencies, and real-time communication with commuters to manage expectations during emergencies.
Political Criticism Over Handling of Situation
The ongoing disruption drew sharp criticism from Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, who questioned the administration’s ability to learn from repeated incidents. He said commuters were made to suffer while authorities responded with yet another inquiry instead of visible on-ground solutions.
Thackeray acknowledged that halting traffic after a tanker overturned around 5 pm on February 3 was necessary for safety reasons. However, he argued that the administration should have been prepared with a clear and swift clearance strategy to restore movement as quickly as possible in such emergencies.
Commuters Seek Long-Term Solutions
As traffic continued to crawl on Friday morning, motorists voiced a common demand for lasting solutions rather than temporary fixes. Many stressed that with traffic volumes increasing each year, the expressway requires upgraded infrastructure, improved incident response systems, and stricter enforcement of vehicle fitness norms.
Until those measures are put in place, commuters fear that similar disruptions will remain a recurring feature on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, especially during peak travel periods.