Massive Traffic Jams on Highways as Pune Residents Leave for Diwali Holidays

Pune, 18th October 2025: With Diwali holidays and the weekend coinciding, highways leading out of Pune witnessed massive traffic jams on Saturday as thousands of people set out for their hometowns and holiday destinations. Long queues of vehicles were reported on major routes including the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, Pune–Nashik Highway, Pune–Ahilyanagar (Ahmednagar) Highway, and Pune–Satara Highway.

Traffic movement was extremely slow on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, especially at Khandala Ghat, where vehicles heading toward Pune were stranded for several hours. Heavy congestion was also seen near Lonavala, with queues of cars and private buses extending several kilometers. Toll booths witnessed long lines, and traffic had to be halted temporarily to clear the jam.

On the Pune–Nashik Highway, traffic came to a standstill near Ghargaon ahead of Bota village, while vehicles moving from Nashik toward Pune were also stuck for hours near Alephata. Similarly, on the Pune–Ahmednagar Highway, congestion was reported near Shikrapur and Ranjangaon, with frustrated commuters taking to social media to complain about poor traffic management and lack of planning.

Meanwhile, the Pune–Satara Highway experienced heavy congestion at Khambatki Ghat since Saturday morning. A minor accident between a car and a two-wheeler near the Datta Mandir at the sixth bend of the ghat further worsened the situation, bringing traffic to a halt for some time.

Long queues of vehicles stretched several kilometers in both directions.
Officials from the Transport and Traffic Departments said additional personnel were deployed to manage the situation, but the massive outflow of vehicles due to the Diwali rush has made regulation difficult. “Traffic volume has nearly doubled since Friday evening, especially on the expressway and connecting highways,” an official said.

Videos and photos of stranded vehicles have gone viral on social media, with commuters expressing anger and frustration over the gridlock. Many travelers have tried switching to alternate routes, but congestion remains heavy across all major exits from Pune.

The surge in traffic is being attributed to citizens heading to their hometowns for Diwali celebrations, along with tourists traveling toward the Lonavala–Khandala belt for the long weekend. Travel time on several routes has more than doubled, and vehicles were seen moving bumper to bumper for several hours.

Despite efforts by authorities, the situation remained tense through the evening, with slow-moving traffic and restless passengers marking the start of the festive weekend.