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Ram Navami holiday rush triggers heavy traffic on Pune-Mumbai Expressway
Highway Traffic Police officers said traffic movement on the Pune–Mumbai Expressway is expected to remain heavy until the holiday rush subsides.
Highway Traffic Police officers said they observed a surge in traffic volume from early morning, particularly on the Mumbai-to-Pune stretch of the expressway. (Photo: Screengrab from PTI Video on X)
A massive traffic jam was reported on the Pune–Mumbai Expressway Thursday morning, with vehicle queues stretching up to three kilometres in the Ghat section, as highway police attributed the congestion to a surge in traffic due to the Ram Navami holiday coinciding with the weekend.
Highway Traffic Police officers said they observed a surge in traffic volume from early morning, particularly on the Mumbai-to-Pune stretch of the expressway.
When contacted, Vikrant Deshmukh, Superintendent of Police, Pune Division, Highway Traffic Police, said, “The traffic situation today is due to an increase in the number of vehicles on the expressway. The rise is primarily due to the Ram Navami holiday today, which falls closer to the weekend. We have deployed our full staff on the expressway, who are managing the situation at various locations.”
VIDEO | Pune: Massive traffic jam on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway near Lonavala.
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/pPtzXS10UJ
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 26, 2026
“Due to increased volume, we took a block in the morning, in which we stopped the traffic at one point to clear the congestion ahead. If needed, similar blocks will be taken,” said another Highway Traffic Police officer.
Officers said traffic movement is expected to remain heavy until the holiday rush subsides.
Traffic congestion has become a regular occurrence on the Pune–Mumbai Expressway during long weekends. The current disruption comes just weeks after a major incident involving a tanker carrying highly flammable propylene, when a gas leak brought this critical route between the two cities to a halt for nearly 32 hours.
Authorities have advised commuters to plan their journeys during non-peak hours. Additional patrol vehicles, cranes, and emergency response teams have been deployed along the Ghat stretch to prevent congestion in the event of mishaps.
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