Pune-Mumbai Expressway choked as thousands head to protest
On Sunday, traffic on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and old highway slowed to a crawl as thousands from the Maratha community traveled to Mumbai for a major protest at Azad Maidan.
Led by activist Manoj Jarange Patil, the demonstration caused long queues at toll plazas and key junctions, making travel especially tough for anyone heading toward Mumbai.
MSRTC adds more busses
To help with the rush, MSRTC rolled out more busses from spots like Swargate and Shivajinagar. Still, most busses filled up fast—so many protesters switched to private busses and vans instead.
An MSRTC official called it a surge in passengers and said they were taking steps to handle things.
Meanwhile, Pune's train stations stayed quieter since road travel got people closer to the protest site.
Police have asked everyone on these routes to drive cautiously due to the ongoing rush.