Mumbai: A huge traffic jam happened on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway in the Palghar area of Maharashtra. Because of this, more than 500 students
and other travellers were stuck for almost 12 hours. Twelve buses, carrying children from Classes 5 to 10 from different schools, along with some college students from nearby Thane and Mumbai, were caught in this long traffic jam near Vasai. The jam started at about 5:30 pm on Tuesday and lasted until early Wednesday morning. The children, who were coming back from a school trip near Virar, had to wait for many hours without food or water. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Vasai, Poornima Chowgule-Shringi, said the traffic jam was yet to be cleared, reported news agency PTI. The massive congestion on Tuesday evening left vehicles barely inching forward for hours. By night, many students were exhausted, hungry, and anxious, while worried parents waited tensely for updates on their children's safety. Members of a local social organisation rushed to the site. They distributed water and biscuits to the stranded children and helped drivers manoeuvre buses through the congested lanes. "The students were crying due to hunger and exhaustion. It was heartbreaking to see them suffer because of the poor traffic management," an activist said.
Traffic on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway
People on social media are claiming that the situation at the highway has not improved. Some of them complained the those going to the airport have also missed their flight.What Caused The Massive Traffic Jam?
The jam was apparently triggered by the diversion of heavy vehicles due to ongoing repair works on the Ghodbunder highway in Thane, which resulted in excessive traffic load on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route, the activist said.
An official from the Mira Bhayander-Vasai Virar police control room said there was a massive traffic jam, which was being cleared. "The congestion is slowly easing, but movement remains sluggish," the official said.
Some buses carrying the students managed to take a detour, while others inched forward slowly through the jam. The last of the stranded buses reached its destination by 6 am on Wednesday, sources said.
Outrage Among Parents
The parents of the stranded children and other locals blamed poor planning and lack of coordination among authorities for the situation. "Our children were left helpless for hours. There was no police, no information, no system in place," one of the parents claimed.
Residents demanded that the traffic department and civic authorities take immediate corrective measures to prevent such incidents in the future, especially when repair work and diversions on roads are planned.
(With Agency Inputs)
