Amit Shah’s Pune Visit Brings City to a Standstill; Massive Traffic Jams Hit Key Roads
Reported by Priyanshu Banerjee
Pune, 1st August 2026: What began as a routine Saturday evening commute turned into a frustrating ordeal for thousands of Punekars as heavy traffic snarled major roads across the city during the movement of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s convoy.
Amit Shah was in Pune to present the Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2026 to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who was honoured for his contributions to India’s national security. The high-profile event led to heightened security arrangements and temporary traffic restrictions along the VIP route.
As the convoy moved through the city, severe congestion was reported on several connecting roads. Motorists travelling via Viman Nagar, Aga Khan Marg, Fatima Nagar, Pune Airport, Koregaon Park, Camp, Swargate and Peth areas encountered slow-moving traffic, bottlenecks and significantly longer travel times during the evening peak hours.
The disruption coincided with the city’s regular weekend traffic rush, worsening congestion across several arterial roads and major intersections. Commuters travelling by private vehicles, two-wheelers, autorickshaws and cabs found themselves stuck in long queues, with many reporting substantial delays.
“I was expecting to reach home in around 30 minutes, but the journey took more than an hour because traffic was barely moving,” said a commuter stuck near Fatima Nagar.
The impact extended well beyond the convoy’s route. As motorists attempted to avoid blocked stretches by taking alternative roads, traffic spilled over into adjoining areas, creating a ripple effect across eastern Pune. Journeys that would normally take minutes stretched considerably longer.
Cab and autorickshaw passengers were among the worst affected. Longer travel times and diversions increased fares on metered rides, leaving many commuters paying more than expected to reach their destinations.
“The traffic was so slow that my cab fare kept increasing. What should have been a short ride ended up costing much more because of the delay,” said a commuter travelling by an app-based cab.
Passengers had little choice but to wait as vehicles crawled through congested roads. Even short-distance trips took considerably longer, as the combination of evening rush-hour traffic and VIP movement placed additional pressure on Pune’s already busy road network.
The Lokmanya Tilak National Award is presented annually on August 1, the death anniversary of freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. This year’s award recognised NSA Ajit Doval for his contributions to national security and strategic affairs.
The movement of high-profile dignitaries typically involves extensive security measures, including temporary road closures, traffic diversions and controlled movement at key junctions. However, when such arrangements coincide with peak commuting hours, the resulting congestion often extends far beyond the designated VIP route.
“We understand that security arrangements are necessary for VIP visits, but better traffic management and timely advisories could help reduce inconvenience for the public,” another motorist said.
Saturday evening was another example of this cascading effect, with traffic backups at one junction quickly spreading to adjoining roads. Busy corridors such as Fatima Nagar and Hadapsar, which already experience heavy traffic during peak hours, witnessed even greater congestion.
While Pune hosted a nationally significant event honouring one of India’s top security officials, the experience outside the venue was markedly different for commuters struggling to navigate the city’s roads.
For many Punekars, August 1 was marked by long queues, slow-moving traffic, extended travel times and higher commuting costs, once again highlighting the challenges of managing VIP movement in a city already grappling with chronic traffic congestion.
