Pune–Mumbai and Major Highways Face Severe Traffic as Commuters Return Post-Diwali Holidays – VIDEOS
Pune–Mumbai and Major Highways Face Severe Traffic as Commuters Return Post-Diwali Holidays – VIDEOS
As the festive spirit of Diwali winds down, highways connecting Pune and Mumbai are witnessing unprecedented traffic snarls. The post-holiday rush sees countless commuters, many of them migrant workers and professionals, returning to the city to resume their routine after visiting their hometowns for the celebrations. The weekend surge, combined with a few detours to popular tourist destinations, has turned travel into a slow crawl on several major routes.
From early Saturday morning, long queues of vehicles were reported on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, Pune-Bengaluru National Highway, Pune-Nashik Highway, Solapur Road, Nagar Road, and the Hindu Hrudayasamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg (Samruddhi Highway). Some stretches, residents noted, took more than an hour to pass, creating frustration for commuters.
The Pune-Bengaluru National Highway (NH-4), in particular, is currently undergoing multiple development works. Diversions near key towns like Ishwarpur, Karad, and Satara have significantly increased travel time, turning the usual five-hour journey into seven or eight hours.
This seasonal traffic pattern is largely driven by the migrant population in Mumbai and Pune. Many residents, originally from other parts of Maharashtra and India, returned to their native places to celebrate Diwali with family. While last weekend saw heavy traffic in the outbound direction from the cities, the reverse flow is now underway, causing congestion on the return routes. Additionally, several travelers made stops at famous hill stations and tourist spots such as Mahabaleshwar, Lonavala, Sinhagad, and Bhimashankar, adding to the load on the highways.
Authorities have been proactive in managing the situation. The Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune Rural traffic police have deployed personnel across critical points on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway to ensure smooth movement.
@nitin_gadkari @DGPMaharashtra @NHMPofficial @msrtcofficial
— Ankit Singh (@ankitsingh21) October 25, 2025
What kind of traffic management is this for one of the most important roads in India Mumbai Pune Express Highway?
Truck parked inside tunnel
Heavy vehicle using Fast lanes
No Police man to manage traffic on highway pic.twitter.com/1qNlqqR6Z2
A senior officer from the Pimpri-Chinchwad Traffic Branch appealed to commuters to remain patient and exercise caution, emphasizing that significant measures are being taken to prevent severe congestion. With the festive season behind, residents are advised to plan their journeys carefully, expect delays, and prioritize road safety.
