Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Traffic on the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar–Jalgaon highway came to a standstill for nearly 13 hours after two heavy trucks broke down in Ajanta Ghat around midnight on Monday. The massive congestion caused severe inconvenience to tourists, students, and commuters.
According to reports, a truck coming from Jalgaon (MH-21 X 7599) suffered an axle failure at around 12 am, halting in the middle of the road. At the same time, another truck travelling from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar towards Delhi (RJ GC 2775) experienced brake failure. The driver averted a major accident by steering the vehicle into the hillside, but the road was completely blocked.
As heavy vehicles remained stuck on both sides, drivers of smaller cars attempted to squeeze through available gaps. This led to vehicles getting stuck face-to-face, worsening the congestion. An ambulance remained trapped in the traffic for a long time, while another had to take a diversion via the Soyegaon–Halda route.
On Tuesday morning, mechanics repaired one of the trucks, while the other was removed using a crane. Traffic resumed smoothly around 1 pm, with efforts from the Fardapur police.
Frequent traffic jams frustrate commuters
Earlier on Monday around 4 pm, another truck heading towards Delhi lost its brakes while descending the ghat near Manjarsuba and crashed into a roadside drain. Around the same time, another accident involving a truck occurred in the upper section of the ghat, halting traffic for about an hour.
Frequent traffic jams in Ajanta Ghat have angered commuters and local residents, who allege that despite repeated complaints, authorities continue to neglect this serious issue.