Traffic Chaos on Mumbai-Pune Expressway: 12-km long jam burns clutch plates of over 100 cars
Christmas weekend, the Saimal to Dasturi section of the Mumbai-Pune national highway witnessed the burning of clutch plates in over 100 cars, with a similar fate befalling more than a dozen vehicles on the Dheku village stretch of the Mumbai-Pune expressway. The incidents occurred during the holiday rush, spanning from Friday evening to Sunday night, a TOI report stated.
To manage the aftermath, towing vans from the highway safety patrol were deployed in the ghat section to clear the Pune-bound carriageway.
Approximately 25 mechanics were on-site in the expressway's ghat section, charging a minimum of Rs 6,000 for clutch plate replacements. Some affected cars were even towed to garages in Khopoli for further repairs.
The surge in traffic and vehicle breakdowns on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway resulted into a congestion extended up to 12 km on the ghat section, ranging from Dheku village to a few meters past the Khandala tunnel.
The normally 13-35 minute travel time on the 15 km-long ghat section skyrocketed to 45 minutes to 1 hour, according to the highway safety patrol.
The Christmas weekend brought an influx of travelers, particularly from the working class, aggravating the situation. In efforts to clear the Pune-bound light vehicles, the highway traffic police had to intermittently shut the Mumbai-bound carriageway nine times on Sunday between morning and evening, with block times ranging from 11 to 25 minutes.
Expressing his frustration, Mumbai resident Dr.
