A major traffic jam on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway stranded commuters for hours on Friday, September 4, with slow-moving traffic reported in both directions between the Versova Bridge and Maljipada in Vasai. The disruption affected the Mumbai-bound and Gujarat-bound carriageways during the morning peak and continued until the evening, according to a report by Loksatta – Vasai-Virar.
The Mumbai-bound side saw traffic slow sharply from the Ghodbunder Road area through Sasunavghar and Maljipada. On the opposite carriageway, vehicles travelling towards Gujarat and Vasai were also moving at a very slow pace. The highway is a key connection between Mumbai, Thane, Vasai-Virar, Mira-Bhayandar, Palghar and industrial and commercial areas in Gujarat.
Road repair work in the Kashimira area was identified as one of the immediate causes of the congestion. Traffic in both directions was being managed through a single lane while the work was under way, narrowing the available carriageway and reducing vehicle speeds. The resulting queues expanded during the morning rush hour.
Traffic in the Gujarat-bound direction was further disrupted after two large containers reportedly broke down near Kutch Darbar and beyond. The disabled vehicles obstructed movement and added to the congestion on a route already affected by restricted road capacity.
The delays affected office commuters, school students and people travelling for essential work. Residents of villages and hamlets near the highway also reported disruption to their daily movement. The report said the congestion remained in place until the evening, causing commuters to lose time and spend more on fuel.
The disruption was aggravated when some motorists attempted to drive against the direction of traffic in an effort to leave the jam. The manoeuvres created additional obstruction and made it more difficult for other vehicles to move through the affected sections.
The report also said that traffic travelling from Vasai towards Mumbai and Thane was being stopped at the Versova Bridge to ease congestion in the Mira-Bhayandar area. This created a separate queue of about 10 kilometres between Kajupada and the Bapane junction, affecting commuters from Vasai and Palghar.
Sushant Shrikant Patil, president of the Bhoomiputra Foundation, said that holding traffic on other routes for hours to manage a disruption in one section placed an unfair burden on residents. He called for an immediate administrative solution and separate traffic planning for heavy vehicles.
Traffic police were working to restore movement, according to the report. Their stated measures included removing the disabled containers, preventing vehicles from travelling in the wrong direction and managing the flow through the restricted sections. The report also said heavy vehicles were being stopped as part of the traffic-control operation.
