[sukiwa]

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

Maratha Kranti Morcha rally to be held tomorrow in Mumbai. Expect the e-way to be packed with vehicles going to Mumbai from various places in Maharashtra.

Originally Posted by ksameer1234

Read in local newspapers that vehicle travelling to Mumbai and back for this morcha will be exempt from tolls. Couldn't read about the details. Would this also apply to expressway as well? Would be a massive mess in that case.

Had to travel to Thane on 9th & used e-way as usual. In morning, trucks were asked to stop before 1st toll to ease traffic. Didn't find e-way traffic to be too much due to morcha; came across many vehicles holding flags in a dangerous way, folks popping out from windows, waving/shouting slogans. On return journey, morcha vehicles (cars/SUVs/buses) were plenty but not that many to disturb e-way pace, sudden stopping in groups on sides was seen as a norm than exception. Didn't have to pay toll on return journey.

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Coming back to the e-way, what is the status of land slides this year. Last year a full lane was blocked for installing the iron netting - hope that effort was not wasted.

These are holding good for now. Generally, left most lane before rajmachi tunnel is blocked with barricades during monsoon, no such measure seen this year.

Also, what about the news that the Amrutanjan bridge was to be dismantled?

Don't think it will happen so fast, authorities have just reduced footprint at lane entry so that trucks needn't have to be too precise while entering lane.

[abhisheknandan]

I have to visit Mumbai from Pune almost every second week and I have now seen that the left most lane of the complete highway is kind of extended and the patch is built across. However, the major bottleneck on the Amrutanjan bridge continues to be a spot of bother.

[ShaileshHinge]

Mumbai Pune expressway completely choked up today. looks like the whole world is moving out of the city .

i am not travelling myself but saw in news that they have stopped incoming traffic from pune prior to Lonavala and all lanes are used to send the traffic towards Pune.

This is how google maps is showing up the ghat section

[mayuresh]

Originally Posted by ShaileshHinge

Mumbai Pune expressway completely choked up today. looks like the whole world is moving out of the city

Yes, I did travel from Mumbai to Pune this afternoon and it was pretty bad.

I guess, the cause was this: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/62226027.cms

Not that these points are new, but I have following observations:

- A few days back there was a news saying trucks won't be allowed during certain day time hours on the eway. It does not seem to be implemented.

- Today a lot of trucks were parked on the sides. As the news article says police had "requested" them to do so. However, quite a few trucks were traveling normally also. No idea why only some were stopped and some were allowed to go.

- As is a familiar sight to many regular travelers, truckers seem to play racing game in a team of 3 at a time with each one occupying one lane trying hard to cross 30kmph in order to beat the others. This nonsense has to stop. Don't know what is going on in this regard.

- There are only signs saying there are height separators forcing trucks in the left lane. Nothing of that sort is found anywhere.

- At least 2 to 3 vehicles were found traveling in the opposite direction. (No, nothing like a temporary arrangement near the jam. This was after Lonavla where after the traffic jam.) They are putting their own and others' life at risk and there is apparently no control over this.

- Quite a few vehicles were stopped on the eway notwithstanding the warning signs to not do so. Some for just taking selfies and some to attend nature's call, well despite having the facility near food malls, toll plazas etc. Now what to say about this.

- Quite a few vehicles were found broken down and being worked on the spot by mechanics, particularly in the ghat area. Is there any plausible explanation of why the odds of vehicle breakdown are so high in the ghat area only on the eway?

[Neeraj1903]

Here are a couple of pictures showing trucks in all 3 lanes of the express way. Clicked on Thursday.

[rst89]

Originally Posted by mayuresh

- There are only signs saying there are height separators forcing trucks in the left lane. Nothing of that sort is found anywhere.

Those height barriers were broken in one week when installed by none other than trucks and Shivneri buses.

The car pooling WhatsApp group of which I am part of said average time taken to cross the stretch was 40 minutes which is really bad. Hope situation improves over the week.

[luvDriving]

Originally Posted by ShaileshHinge

This is how google maps is showing up the ghat section

I traveled till Khalapur on the 23rd morning and yes this was the exact scenario. Repair work had closed 2 lanes on the Pune-Mumbai route and finally cops completely halted traffic for some time.

Originally Posted by mayuresh

- A few days back there --SNIP-- why the odds of vehicle breakdown are so high in the ghat area only on the eway?

Even the number of trucks traveling was on the higher side on 23rd I would say, with more long trailers than other types. And yes, more trucks were in the middle and right lanes than in the left lane.

I also saw some 2 wheelers riding on the expressway. Many people had simply halted in the median or in the breakdown lane.

Originally Posted by rst89

Those height barriers were broken in one week when installed by none other than trucks and Shivneri buses.

Did not see any height barriers. It took me 5 hours to get from Pune to Kihim with one traffic jam on the expressway and another one all the way from Pen till wadkhal naka.

Fortunately we expected all such things and had our fill at Kamat in hinjewadi before proceeding so all the tummies were happy.

[honeybee]

The traffic situation on this road is turning ao bad I am seriously thinking of taking to trains - will have to travel to Pune and back on year end. And I see absolutely no point in suffering through so much madness.

[lamborghini]

Just came back from a trip from Lonavala - quite surprised to have faced no traffic.

Lane discipline isn't great, but it's much better than the roads leading up to / and from the end of the expressway.

What I didn't like is that it is no longer a flat road, with so many undulations and bumps that it is best to stick to the speed limit (unlike most of the people who drive on the e-way, like a Nano cruising at a constant 100kmph which will not be able to take some of these undulations well at all).

Plus, at night there is a lot of fog/smog on the expressway, so one needs to be very very careful!

Lastly, there is work happening on the right most lane - so please be careful about that and give way to others who will not be able to realize it in time.

In comparison, a colleague took 3 hours from Vasai just to get to New Bombay due to traffic, from where he was so frustrated he just turned around and scrapped his holiday plans.

Trick is to ensure you leave early enough to beat traffic and have a smooth drive to your destination.

[ani_meher]

I too was travelling on early Sunday morning from Pune to Mumbai, and then realizing that the task no longer required my presence, took a U turn from Mumbai toll naka to come back to Pune. Every time, I have noticed that till the ghat rise is over, trucks severely hamper everyone's speed.

The wonder this time was, I saw many many cars with their bonnet open. And the cars were from all the manufacturers, Maruti, Mahindra, Honda, Tata etc. The family passengers suffered a lot because of these car failures. I wonder what would cause so many cars to fail?

[mayuresh]

The news article says "Govt increases maximum speed limit for expressways"
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/63754892.cms

Hope that covers Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway as well.

I think some sections like ghats still should have lower limits. Otherwise this should be a welcome move.

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by ani_meher

I wonder what would cause so many cars to fail?

Lack of maintenance and care could be the prime cause.

Having owned several pre owned cars and also the Nano, no car is inherently bad today. However small niggles and early symptoms of engine overheating may be neglected by owners who don't drive their cars regularly.

[moralfibre]

Finally, the govt wakes up and has told the court that it will take a call on the expressway toll booth’s future soon. As per the activists who have filed a case against the government and the contractor, the firm IRB has already recovered the amount due to them.

This will bring a big relief to the users and bring down time to commute by 10-15 mins atleast.

More here: link

[rakesh_r]

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Finally, the govt wakes up and has told the court that it will take a call on the expressway toll booth’s future soon. As per the activists who have filed a case against the government and the contractor, the firm IRB has already recovered the amount due to them.

This will bring a big relief to the users and bring down time to commute by 10-15 mins atleast.

More here: link

Well it certainly "feels" good to read the news, i wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be another carrot being fed. Moreover there are plans for a tunnel to be built to by pass the treacherous Lonavala- Khandala stretch. The toll is here to stay for sure and infact that too for another 20+ years.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/pune-...sza1bf5yH.html

[moralfibre]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

. The toll is here to stay for sure and infact that too for another 20+ years.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/pune-...sza1bf5yH.html

Damn! Didn’t know that. That tunnel idea itself sounds impossible. They are having a tough time maintaining the ghat section during monsoons. Wonder how they will fare with a 14km tunnel.