Eknath Shinde Orders Toll Waiver on Mumbai-Pune Expressway Amid Massive Traffic Jam
Eknath Shinde Orders Toll Waiver on Mumbai-Pune Expressway Amid Massive Traffic Jam
Mumbai: Heavy traffic congestion has hit the Mumbai-Pune Expressway since early Friday morning, with long queues of vehicles stretching for several kilometres due to the long weekend rush. Thousands of travellers heading towards Pune, Lonavala, Goa, Satara, and Nashik have been stuck for hours on major highways across Maharashtra.
The situation on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway worsened after nearly 10 to 12 vehicles reportedly broke down one after another under the intense summer heat, causing severe disruption and adding to the traffic pile-up.
Taking note of the chaos, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde directed authorities to stop toll collection from vehicles stranded in the traffic jam. The decision is aimed at providing relief to commuters who have been stuck on the expressway for three to four hours in extreme heat.
The announcement came during the inauguration of the much-awaited Missing Link Project, attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, and Sunetra Pawar.
Traffic congestion was especially severe in the Lonavala ghat section, where vehicle queues stretched up to 3 to 4 kilometres on the Mumbai-bound lane, while the Pune-bound carriageway also witnessed major disruptions.
Member of Parliament Supriya Sule was also caught in the traffic for nearly three to four hours. She shared a video on social media highlighting the grim highway situation.
Meanwhile, traffic woes were not limited to the expressway. Long queues of vehicles were also reported on the Mumbai-Goa Highway in Kolad, Indapur, and Mangaon, as thousands of Mumbaikars headed towards Konkan for the holiday weekend.
Despite the opening of the Missing Link project to improve connectivity between Mumbai and Pune, commuters are questioning when the long-delayed Mumbai-Goa Highway project, pending for over 14 years, will finally be completed.
