Pune – Satara Highway: Traffic snarls grips Khambatki ghat ; irks travellers
By: Pune Pulse
October 7, 2023
Pune: This weekend, the Pune-Satara National Highway witnessed a major traffic snarl at Khambatki Ghat, leaving countless travellers stuck in long queues. The holiday crowd exacerbated the situation, with an unexpected traffic jam unfolding due to cargo trucks coming to a halt near the Datta Temple at the sixth turn of the ghat.
The congestion at Khambatki Ghat commenced early in the day, around 10 a.m. The primary reason behind this gridlock is the ongoing bridge construction work on the Satara-Lonand road.
As a result, heavy and oversized vehicles are being rerouted onto the national highway, causing recurrent episodes of truck-induced ghat standstills.
Despite repeated appeals from the Traffic Highway Police to the National Highway Authority, the much-needed crane support is yet to materialize.
This deficiency in resources often results in traffic grinding to a halt on the highway, aggravating the ghat’s frequent congestion issues. Presently, two trucks remain parked on the highway, compounding the problem (during the time of writing this report).
Local motorists have expressed their frustration and called for cranes to be readily available for the Traffic Highway Police. In response, traffic officer Tatya Farande and the highway police are working tirelessly to regain control over the chaotic traffic situation.
The Khambatki Ghat traffic jam serves as a stark reminder of the need for proactive measures to address the challenges posed by increased traffic volume and the necessary infrastructure improvements in the region.
Travelers are advised to plan their journeys accordingly and stay updated on the latest traffic developments in the area.
