Massive Traffic Jam on Mumbai–Pune Expressway as Queues Stretch Up to 5 km on Holiday Weekend

Heavy congestion snarls traffic on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway with queues stretching over 4–5 km due to Ram Navami and weekend rush-motorists face long delays.

Pune | 27 March, 2026: Heavy traffic congestion once again brought travel on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway to a near standstill on Thursday, with long queues of vehicles stretching up to 4–5 kilometres, causing frustration among commuters heading toward Pune and Mumbai amid peak holiday travel. Authorities attributed the slowdown to the Ram Navami festival, coupled with a long weekend that saw thousands on the road to visit family, attend religious events and return home before Friday.

Traffic police and highway officials said that the expressway’s ghat section, known for slower speeds due to terrain and high vehicle volume, was particularly affected, with traffic nearly at a standstill for significant periods. Many commuters reported waiting for long durations, with cars, buses and heavy commercial vehicles bumper-to-bumper in both directions. Videos shared on social media showed vehicles moving at a crawl or completely stationary, with some travellers stepping out of their cars to stretch or check on travel updates.

Officials from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and the highway police said the congestion resulted from a convergence of festival-related travel, weekend holiday traffic and devotees headed toward the Ekvira Devi temple near Lonavala, which attracts large crowds this time of year. Police urged motorists to avoid non-essential travel during peak hours and warned that the combination of heavy traffic and rising temperatures was causing discomfort for drivers and passengers alike.

Despite efforts by traffic authorities to ease the flow – including phased vehicle movement, intermittent traffic blocks to regulate entry into busy stretches and active monitoring -the buildup of vehicles persisted. Some commuters criticised traffic management and called for accelerated completion of infrastructure projects such as the “missing link” bypass in the ghat section, which is expected to reduce bottlenecks and travel time once finished.

Long delays on the expressway have become increasingly common on holiday weekends and festival occasions, with motorists often seeking alternative routes via the old Mumbai–Pune highway (NH 48) during peak congestion. According to social media posts from travellers on Thursday, traffic remained slow even during early morning and late evening hours as the buildup began overnight.

The Mumbai–Pune Expressway -officially known as the Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway -is India’s first access-controlled six-lane concrete highway and one of the busiest intercity corridors in the country, handling tens of thousands of vehicles daily. The expressway’s design enables high-speed travel in normal conditions, but it remains vulnerable to holiday-related congestion and seasonal travel peaks, especially in the hilly ghat sections where gradients and curves reduce average speeds.

Motorists shared mixed reactions online, with some expressing patience and others venting frustration over the recurrent traffic snarls. Suggestions ranged from improved real-time traffic updates and diversions to use of alternate routes, to greater policing of heavy vehicles that can slow movement in critical sections. Many drivers also noted the need for better facilities along the route during long waits.

As the long weekend continues, authorities have advised travellers to plan their journeys outside peak hours when possible, and to follow police directions to reduce delay and minimise travel stress. In the longer term, infrastructure upgrades currently underway -such as the completion of the missing link project and proposals to expand capacity across key stretches -are expected to ease such congestion challenges on one of India’s most important highway arteries.

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