A Kalamboli Junction traffic jam disrupted movement towards Mumbai, Pune, Panvel, Palaspe Phata and Uran-JNPA on Saturday after diversions for Ganesh immersion processions in the Thane region delayed the reopening of the Shilphata route, according to Navi Mumbai Traffic Police.
Long queues formed around the junction from the morning, slowing traffic on several routes connected to the key interchange. The congestion affected vehicles travelling towards Mumbai and Pune as well as traffic headed for Panvel, Palaspe Phata, Uran and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority area.
Deputy Commissioner of Navi Mumbai Traffic Police Dr Rahul Khade said the Shilphata route had been closed against the backdrop of Ganesh immersion processions in Thane. The processions were delayed, meaning that the road could not be reopened at the scheduled time. Vehicles that would normally have moved through the route began accumulating towards Kalamboli Junction.
According to Khade, the blockage at one location spread to other approach roads leading towards Kalamboli, increasing the extent of the jam. He said traffic was expected to become smoother within the next one to two hours.
The disruption was also reported across parts of Thane and Kalwa, where immersion processions led to long queues around Retibandar, Kalwa and Parsiknagar. Some roads in these areas were closed for the processions, with vehicles diverted through alternative routes.
The diversion-related congestion also affected the Agra-Mumbai Highway. Traffic travelling towards Mumbai was reported to be moving slowly from the Mankoli bridge area. Vehicles arriving from Kalyan-Dombivli and Nashik and travelling towards Mumbai added to the pressure on the corridor, according to the report.
The incident illustrates the operational dependence between major road corridors in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. A closure or delay on the Shilphata route can push vehicles towards connected interchanges, while processional closures in Thane and Kalwa can add traffic from multiple directions. At Kalamboli, where routes towards Mumbai, Pune, Panvel and port-linked areas converge, such diversions can quickly affect through traffic beyond the original closure point.
The traffic restrictions were introduced to facilitate Ganesh immersion processions during Anant Chaturdashi. The delayed reopening of the Shilphata route extended the effect of those restrictions beyond the immediate procession area and contributed to the accumulation of vehicles at Kalamboli Junction.
The Navi Mumbai traffic department’s immediate response was to monitor the affected routes while the procession-related restrictions remained in place. The department’s stated expectation was that traffic conditions would improve within one to two hours as the Shilphata route reopened and vehicle movement resumed. Until then, motorists on the Mumbai-Pune, Panvel, Uran-JNPA and Agra-Mumbai Highway corridors faced slower travel and extended queues.
