Traffic queues on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway stretched up to 5-6 kilometres on Saturday as the extended Diwali holiday period triggered a sharp increase in vehicles leaving Mumbai for Pune, Konkan and other destinations.
The congestion affected the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the old Mumbai-Pune Highway and the Mumbai-Goa Highway, with motorists reporting slow movement and extended travel times. The festive rush coincided with the weekend, sending large numbers of private cars, state transport buses and other vehicles towards popular holiday destinations.
The Mumbai-Goa Highway recorded particularly slow movement near Mangaon, where holidaymakers travelling towards Konkan faced delays. Konkan emerged as a preferred destination during the consecutive holidays, increasing traffic on the highway connecting Mumbai with the region.
On the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, vehicles moved sluggishly through long queues, leaving motorists stranded for extended periods. The old Mumbai-Pune Highway also saw a surge in traffic from travellers heading towards Pune and other destinations, adding pressure to the parallel road network.
The congestion affected not only holidaymakers but also regular weekend travellers between Mumbai and Pune. Saurabh Godse, who told Mid-Day that he travels weekly from Pune to Mumbai on Saturdays, said he was stuck on the expressway because vehicles were barely moving and arrived almost an hour late.
The disruption illustrates the operational pressure placed on Mumbai’s regional road links when holiday travel, weekend movement and intercity commuting converge. The affected routes serve both leisure traffic and routine travel, meaning a sudden increase in private vehicles and buses can delay people whose journeys are unrelated to the festive period.
The report did not provide an official traffic advisory, diversion plan or estimated time for the queues to clear. It also did not specify whether the congestion was linked to an accident, road closure or other incident. The immediate cause identified in the report was the increased volume of vehicles associated with the extended Diwali holidays and the weekend.
Motorists travelling from Mumbai towards Pune and Konkan were therefore facing delays across multiple routes, with congestion reported on both the newer expressway and older highway corridors. The traffic impact extended beyond a single road, affecting the wider network used to leave the city during the holiday period.
