Heavy vehicles banned during New Year celebrations in Maharashtra’s Raigad

The ban order said traffic snarls inconvenience tourists and residents and severely affect emergency services such as ambulances

The authorities in Maharashtra’s Raigad have temporarily banned the movement of heavy and oversized vehicles across major highways and arterial roads in anticipation of a major tourist rush and traffic congestion during the New Year celebrations in places such as Alibag, a coastal getaway near Mumbai.

Alibag is a major coastal getaway near Mumbai in the Raigad district. (HT PHOTO)

District magistrate Kishan N Jawale ordered the ban from 8am on December 31 to midnight on January 1 under the Motor Vehicles Act at the Raigad police superintendent’s recommendation.

The ban order said traffic snarls inconvenience tourists and residents and severely affect emergency services such as ambulances. It added that the measure seeks to ensure smoother traffic flow and reduce the risk of accidents during the peak holiday season.

Essential services related to milk, petrol, diesel, cooking gas, medicine, oxygen, vegetables, water supply, fire brigade vehicles, and ambulances have been exempted from the ban.

The ban will apply to stretches including Kharpada-Kashedi on Mumbai–Goa National Highway (NH-66), Mangaon–Tamhini Ghat to Dighi on NH-753(F), Karjat–Palasdhari via Khopoli–Pali Phata to Wakan on NH-584(A), Vadkhal to Alibag on NH-166(A), Chowk Phata to Karjat (State Highway), Alibag to Murud (State Highway), and Alibag to Mandwa (State Highway).

He said popular tourist destinations such as Alibag, Kashid, Murud, Mandwa, Kihim, Nagaon, Revdanda, Diveagar, Shrivardhan, Harihareshwar, Mahad, Karjat, Matheran, Imagica, Pali, and Raigad Fort attract tens of thousands of visitors, most of whom travel by private vehicles. “Narrow roads, absence of alternative routes, the tourist traffic, and industrial freight vehicles lead to chronic congestion at several critical points,” the official said.

The stretches likely to be affected include the Mumbai–Goa Highway at Pen, Vadkhal, Nagothane, Kolad, Indapur, Mangaon, Goregaon, Mahad, and the Vadkhal–Alibag road. Poynad, Pezari, Karlekhind, and Alibag have been regular bottlenecks. Congestion is also common on Alibag–Revdanda, Alibag–Murud, and Alibag–Mandwa routes, especially on weekends.