The Maharashtra government has imposed time-bound restrictions on heavy vehicles weighing 16 tonnes or more on National Highway 66, or the Mumbai-Goa Highway, during key Ganeshotsav travel and immersion periods in September 2026. The order is intended to reduce congestion and improve travel conditions for people travelling to the Konkan region.
The restrictions cover all types of heavy vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 16 tonnes or above, including trailers and vehicles commonly used for transporting sand and other bulk materials. The Transport Department has issued the order under provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, according to the report.
The first restriction will apply from 12:01 a.m. on September 11 until 11 p.m. on September 15. This period covers the arrival of idols and preparatory travel ahead of the festival. The order then provides for restrictions during the return journeys associated with five-day Ganpati immersion, Gauri-Ganpati immersion and Anant Chaturdashi.
For the five-day immersion and return travel period, heavy vehicles will be restricted on September 18 from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Restrictions for the seven-day Gauri-Ganpati immersion and return travel will apply on September 19 from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., and on September 20 until 11 p.m., as specified in the order.
The final and longest specified restriction will cover Anant Chaturdashi travel. Heavy vehicles will be restricted from 8 a.m. on September 25 until 8 p.m. on September 26, when a large number of devotees are expected to travel for immersion and return journeys.
The government has excluded essential supplies and emergency services from the restrictions. Vehicles carrying milk, petrol, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas cylinders, medicines, liquid oxygen, vegetables, foodgrains and perishable goods will be allowed to operate. Ambulances, police vehicles, fire-service vehicles, disaster-management vehicles and other vehicles involved in essential services are also exempt.
Vehicles carrying import and export cargo from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and Jaigarh Port have likewise been excluded from the ban. The exemptions are intended to ensure that the restrictions do not interrupt essential supply chains or emergency response operations.
The order comes as the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation prepares to operate additional buses for passengers travelling to the Konkan region during Ganeshotsav. The government has said that the simultaneous increase in private vehicles, state transport buses and heavy commercial traffic could otherwise lead to congestion and delays on the highway.
The Navi Mumbai police commissioner and the police superintendents of the concerned districts have been authorised to relax the restrictions when required after assessing local conditions. The order therefore permits local authorities to respond to traffic conditions while retaining the scheduled restrictions during the main festival travel periods.
