High traffic on Pune-Mumbai Expressway, toll collection suspended temporarily to ease congestion

According to a staffer manning the Pune-Mumbai Expressway Control Room, “There was heavy traffic in the morning. The traffic subsided after noon. Most of the motorists were heading towards Pune from Mumbai.”

State Transport buses coming to Pune from Mumbai reached Swargate with a delay of at least three hours. This delayed departure of buses from Pune.

“There was a delay due to traffic congestion on Pune-Mumbai route. Since it’s Sunday, a lot of people decided to travel a day before Bhaubeej,” said Ramakant Gaikwad, Divisional Controller, MSRTC Pune.

This Diwali, the MSRTC had planned to deploy 500 extra buses for migrant workers from across Maharashtra. The number is far less than the extra buses the MSRTC plies every year during Diwali, often up to 1,500 buses.

“Considering our experience during Ganesh Festival, we planned only 500 extra buses,” said Gaikwad. Most of the traffic was smooth except Mumbai-Pune traffic.