Ban on heavy vehicles on Mum-Goa highway during Ganeshotsav

Transport authorities impose heavy vehicle restrictions on Mumbai-Goa highway during Ganesh festival to ease congestion and ensure safety. Exemptions apply.

NAVI MUMBAI: Anticipating a massive surge in traffic during the upcoming Ganesh festival, transport authorities have imposed restrictions on the movement of heavy vehicles on the Mumbai Goa highway during some key periods.

Ban on heavy vehicles on Mum-Goa highway during Ganeshotsav

The order, issued by the deputy regional transport officer (Panvel), bans the movement of vehicles with a load capacity of 16 tonnes and above on designated days to ease congestion and ensure the safety of millions of devotees traveling to Konkan and Goa. The ban will affect trucks, trailers, lorries, and multi-axle vehicles.

A transport official said, “The move is aimed at preventing traffic snarls and accidents on the narrow and busy Mumbai–Goa highway (National Highway 66), which witnesses an unprecedented rush of vehicles during the 11-day Ganesh festival.”

There will be a complete ban for heavy vehicles from midnight on August 23 to 11 pm on August 28, a period where the idols are expected to arrive into the city. Another ban will be in place from 8am to 11pm on August 31 and September 2, when five-day and seven-day idols will be immersed. The third ban is from 8am on September 6 to 8 pm on September 7 for the occasion of Anant Chaturdashi, the last day of the festival.

As per officials, the ban will not apply to vehicles carrying essential commodities such as milk, fuel, LPG cylinders, medicines, oxygen, food grains, vegetables, and other perishable items. Vehicles transporting import or export goods from JNPT and Jaigad ports, and those carrying materials for road widening and repair works along the highway, are also exempt from the ban.

Authorities have directed transporters availing exemptions to get entry permits from the transport department or highway police before operating.