Ahead of the Ganesh festival, which is set to begin on August 31, the Maharashtra government has issued traffic guidelines for commuters. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde directed the state administration to create a separate lane at the toll plazas on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway for the vehicles going for the upcoming Ganeshotsav (festival).
Shinde visited the Khalapur toll plaza and took the decision after meeting with the officials. He also asked for increased manpower to prevent traffic congestion and rush at toll plazas during the 10-day festival. Further, Shinde directed authorities to strengthen the CCTV system to prevent accidents and ensure security on the expressway. Last week, the Maharashtra government waived the toll on Mumbai-Bengaluru and Mumbai-Goa highways as well as toll plazas of other Public Works Department (PWD) roads from August 27 to September 11 because of the Ganesh festival.