Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway traffic came to a standstill in Vasai-Virar on Thursday morning after long queues formed along a roughly five-kilometre stretch between Naigaon Bapane Phata and Sassoonavghar on the Gujarat-bound carriageway, according to a report by Loksatta – Vasai-Virar.
The congestion affected the eastern side of Vasai-Virar city and caused substantial delays for office commuters, workers and school students travelling during the morning peak. The affected stretch lies on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway, a key road link through the region.
The traffic disruption was reported on the carriageway towards Gujarat, in contrast to the Mumbai-Thane carriageway, which passengers more commonly face congestion on, according to the report. The sudden buildup of vehicles led to extended queues and significantly reduced traffic movement along the corridor.
Loksatta reported that potholes at several locations were among the main factors slowing vehicles. A particularly severe obstruction was reported near the area beneath a railway bridge, where large potholes forced vehicles to reduce speed. The resulting slowdown contributed to vehicles lining up behind one another and brought traffic movement close to a standstill.
The report also identified a lack of traffic planning and illegal parking on the highway as continuing causes of congestion in the area. These conditions were reported to have compounded the effects of the road damage and reduced the usable carriageway for moving traffic.
The situation was further aggravated when some motorists attempted to drive against the direction of traffic on the Mumbai-Thane carriageway. The move raised the possibility of congestion spreading to both sides of the highway and created an additional traffic-management challenge, according to the report.
Traffic police were reported to be working to remove obstructions from the road and restore normal movement. The immediate response focused on clearing the affected sections and easing the queues that had formed between Sassoonavghar and Bapane Phata.
Local residents and regular highway users have called for urgent repairs to the potholes and more disciplined traffic management on the route. The report did not provide a specific completion date for road repairs or details of a longer-term plan to address recurring congestion on the Vasai-Virar section.
