Vehicles slow down on eway due to traffic block in ghat section

Pune:Commuters on the Pune-Mumbai expressway experienced slow-moving traffic on Friday evening, particularly in the ghat section, leading to delays.Commuters said the vehicular movement on the Pune-Mumbai stretch of the speed corridor was briefly halted around 7pm , resulting in a slowdown. A senior traffic official said a vehicle broke down because of a battery issue in the ghat section on the Mumbai–Pune carriageway and triggered the congestion.A commuter travelling towards Pune said while vehicles from Mumbai were allowed to pass, those heading from Pune towards Mumbai were held up for some time, leading to a queue stretching up to 4-5 km because one side was opened to ease the rush.Swapnil Patil, assistant police inspector of the highway traffic police, said short traffic blocks of 12 to 14 minutes were routinely implemented on Fridays and weekends to manage increased vehicular load and prevent major congestion. "On Friday evening, one such block was implemented, slowing the traffic on one side. Vehicles from Pune towards Mumbai were halted temporarily, and lanes were used for the traffic moving from Mumbai towards Pune to clear the buildup," he said.Patil said even a single vehicle breakdown in the ghat section could disrupt the overall traffic flow. He said such traffic blocks helped prevent severe congestion later in the night.Another block was scheduled for Saturday morning as part of weekend traffic management, he said. He clarified that no accident was reported and traffic continued to move slowly.Another highway police official said a surge in weekend travel from Mumbai towards Pune leads to increased traffic load and slower movement on the expressway.Rahul Patil, a frequent commuter, said slow traffic in the ghat section had become a regular issue over the past two to three years. He said authorities must find a long-term solution as it significantly increased travel time. "The ghat stretch is very sensitive, even a single breakdown requiring towing can disrupt traffic for several kilometres. I hope the new missing link project, expected to open in May, helps ease the situation," he said.
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