The Maharashtra government has announced a Ganeshotsav 2026 toll waiver for vehicles carrying devotees to Konkan, covering major highways and the Atal Setu between September 11 and September 27, according to an official release reported by PTI on Tuesday.
The exemption will apply at toll plazas on the Mumbai-Bengaluru National Highway 48, the Mumbai-Goa National Highway 66 and other roads leading towards Konkan. Vehicles travelling to the region through the Atal Setu will also be eligible for the waiver during the 17-day period.
The government said the measure is intended to make travel easier for the large number of people who leave Mumbai, Thane, Pune and other parts of Maharashtra to return to their ancestral villages during the Ganesh festival. Ganeshotsav is associated with a substantial annual movement of people towards the Konkan region, where families gather to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in their native communities.
Travellers using the toll exemption will be required to obtain special stickers or passes carrying the inscription “Ganeshotsav 2026 Konkan Darshan”. The passes will be available from police stations, traffic police posts and Regional Transport Office offices, the official release said.
The special pass will be valid for both the outward journey to Konkan and the return journey. Travellers have been advised to obtain the required pass before beginning their trip. The announcement did not specify in the material reported by PTI whether passes would be issued at toll plazas or through an online application process.
The waiver will apply to public transport as well as private vehicles. Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation buses travelling from different districts towards Konkan for Ganeshotsav will also be eligible for toll-free passage, according to the report.
The inclusion of National Highway 48, National Highway 66 and the Atal Setu brings several important road links used by travellers from Mumbai and other parts of the state within the exemption framework. These routes are expected to carry increased traffic during the festival period as residents travel to and from their native villages.
The toll waiver forms part of the state government’s arrangements for the annual movement of devotees during Ganeshotsav 2026. The exemption will remain in force from September 11 through September 27, covering both travel to Konkan and the return journey. Authorities have asked eligible travellers to secure the designated pass before departure.
