Even on the second day of the weekend, traffic congestion around Pune remained severe, matching the levels seen on Saturday. Major highways, including the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Old Mumbai-Pune Highway, witnessed significant gridlocks. Long jams spanning 3 to 4 kilometers were reported at Lonavala, Central Chowk (Dehu Road), Talegaon Dabhade, Narhe, Khed Shivapur, Satara, and the Kolhapur route. Residents noted that the 214-kilometer journey from Pune to Nashik took an extra two to three hours compared to normal travel time. Heavy traffic was also observed around Chakan, while diversions near Ahilyanagar and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar slowed vehicles heading to Nagpur. The long weekend and Diwali preparations spiked highway traffic further, amplified by ongoing roadworks, lane closures, and industrial freight movement.
On crowded stretches like the Expressway, delays at toll plazas and slower FASTag scans contributed to further congestion, said commuters. Ketan Patni from Kasegaon, Sangli, advised travelers to start before 6 a.m. or choose alternate routes, noting that a typical three-to-four-hour journey could extend to six-to-ten hours in certain areas. He recommended checking real-time traffic updates on Google Maps or other navigation tools and avoiding bottleneck zones such as Karad and Satara on the Pune-Bengaluru Highway. Patni also expressed concern that the return traffic after Diwali could mirror the current chaos, warning that festival travel could become particularly taxing for drivers in both directions.
Diwali, the five-day Festival of Lights, is India’s largest and most widely celebrated festival. In Maharashtra, Mumbai and Pune host millions of residents originally from other districts and states, who return home for celebrations. Many young people working or studying in urban hubs like Pune, Mumbai, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar travel back to Satara, Kolhapur, Solapur, Nashik, Nagpur, Sangli, and Ahmednagar. Others take trips to hill stations or coastal regions such as Mahabaleshwar, Lonavala, Goa, or Konkan for extended breaks. With schools, industries, and IT firms observing week-long holidays, outbound traffic surges significantly. Pune’s inner roads are expected to ease once Diwali begins, though markets and temple areas may see short evening congestions.