Mumbai–Ahmedabad highway gridlock: Students on school picnic stranded overnight

With Diwali vacation around the corner, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway saw a massive traffic jam near Palghar on Tuesday night. 

Over 500 students and commuters were stranded on the road overnight as vehicles barely moved for hours due to the congestion.

According to reports, a total of 12 buses carrying students from classes 5 to 10 of different schools, as well as some college students from Thane and Mumbai, were stuck in the jam from around 5.30 pm on Tuesday until early Wednesday morning.

The children were returning from a school picnic near Virar and waited several hours without food or water.

Maulana Azad Minorities Financial Development Corporation Ltd Chairman Javed Shroff took to his X on Wednesday and informed that MNS Chief Raj Thackeray made arrangements for the students stuck in traffic on the highway and provided safe passage.

Commuters expressed disappointment with the government and management on social media. A user wrote, “I challenge the government of Maharashtra Ministers to make a trip from Bhiwandi to Wada. The Mumbai Ahmedabad highway, for all the reasons, is always with hours of traffic snarls. Should even Industries function in Maharashtra anymore?”

Another wrote, “Stuck in this jam now for 4.5 hours with kids. NH48 leading to Mumbai/Vasai Creek. Absolute mismanagement. What do I explain to my 3-year-old when she asks ‘When will we get home?"