Ganeshotsav rush leads to massive traffic jams on Mumbai-Goa Highway

To cater to the rush, the state government has arranged special trains and deployed around 1,000 additional state transport (ST) buses, many of which are already plying on the route. Yet, private vehicles dominate the highway

Mumbai: With the much anticipated Ganpati festival barely two days away, traffic on the Mumbai-Goa Highway (NH 66) has surged manifold, with thousands from Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and neighbouring areas travelling to their hometowns in the Konkan region. The surge has led to traffic jams stretching several kilometres at multiple places along the highway, even as motorists inundate social media with photos and posts about the poor road condition, potholes and pending construction work.

Traffic Jam on the Mumbai-Goa Highway (Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO)

To cater to the rush, the state government has arranged special trains and deployed around 1,000 additional state transport (ST) buses, many of which are already plying on the route. Yet, private vehicles dominate the highway.

“People are traveling overnight to avoid jams, but the bottlenecks are impossible to escape,” said Mahadev Chavan, who is travelling from Thane to Malvan. “Work has been pending for years, and yet, we face the same chaos every festive season.”

The project to transform the old, two-lane Mumbai-Goa highway into a four-lane expressway began in 2011. However, as HT has previously reported, the construction has unravelled into a journey of endless suffering, with several tattered stretches and cratered surfaces forcing motorists to take detours along service roads and bypasses.

With the surge in traffic owing to the Ganpati festival, starting August 27, serpentine jams stretching for six to seven kilometers have become routine near Mangaon and Lonere, where a flyover is under construction, said motorists.

Marathi actor Vaibhav Mangle, who travelled from Mumbai to Devrukh in Ratnagiri district on Saturday, said in a social media post that the highway is in terrible condition near Mangaon, Chiplun, and Sangameshwar. “It’s hard to believe when or if these roads will ever be built,” he said.

Mangle’s post resonated widely, with many motorists echoing his frustration and others creating songs and memes about the poor road condition and delays.

To manage the rush, over 600 police and home guard personnel have been deployed at major congestion points along the highway such as Gadab, Koletiwadi, Nagothane, Kolar, Indapur, Mangaon, and Lonere. Motorcycle patrols are also being conducted to control traffic and assist stranded motorists.

The state government has waived tolls for motorists traveling towards the Konkan, which may have added to the volume of vehicles on the highway.

Local activist on road satyagraha

Chaitanya Patil, a 28-year-old activist from Kasu village, has adopted a novel approach to highlight the pitiable condition of the highway. Patil is undertaking a ‘Rasta Satyagraha’, walking 500 kilometers along the highway to document potholes, missing road signs, and other safety hazards that put commuters’ lives at risk.

“I have seen work underway on the Mumbai-Goa Highway since my childhood,” Patil said. “I have also personally seen many accidents and they have wrecked people’s lives. This walk is my way of drawing attention to these issues.”

Patil has been filing complaints about potholes on the highway via phone, email and social media since 2019. There were several instances when potholes he flagged were filled within 24-48 hours, he said proudly. Last year, he submitted GPS-tagged photos of the Palaspe-Mangaon stretch with the chief minister, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and district authorities, which prompted partial repairs.

Patil began the ‘Rasta Satyagraha’ on August 9 from Palaspe in Raigad, and covered more than 100 kilometres over 10 days before halting at Mahad due to heavy rains and health concerns. He meticulously noted down various problem areas and captured GPS-tagged photos during the first phase of his journey, and plans to submit a report to the NHAI, local administrations, and government representatives once he covers the entire route.

“My only goal,” he said, “is to make the Mumbai-Goa Highway safe, accident-free, and of good quality, so that people can travel without fear. People’s lives should not be at risk because of bad roads.”

While police deployment to manage the festive rush has increased, commuters too need to play their part, he said, adding, “Follow traffic rules, avoid overtaking recklessly, and don’t drive in the wrong direction. If we work together, we can reduce accidents and make the journey safer.”