The Mumbai–Ahmedabad National Highway (NH-48) recently witnessed days of crippling traffic congestion, trapping thousands of commuters for hours and turning a vital trade route into a site of chaos. The logjam was so severe that it affected ambulances, cargo trucks, and ordinary motorists alike. On Thursday, however, the situation finally began to ease, bringing temporary relief to exhausted travellers who had endured long, frustrating delays throughout the week.
The crisis laid bare the chronic weaknesses in the highway’s infrastructure. For years, NH-48 has struggled with uneven surfaces, damaged sections, and constant road repairs that fail to provide lasting solutions. The highway is one of India’s busiest corridors, carrying a mix of heavy vehicles, private cars, and buses between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The excessive load has only worsened its fragile condition.
A major source of the latest gridlock was the repair work at Gayamukh Ghats in Thane district. Authorities had announced a temporary closure of the stretch for heavy vehicles and claimed that alternate routes had been arranged. Despite the directive, several heavy trucks continued to take the same path, clogging the narrow lanes and leaving traffic at a standstill. Many commuters described being stuck for as long as five to eight hours, while emergency services, including ambulances, found themselves immobilized in the endless queue.
For many regular users of NH-48, such situations are far from new. Over the last seven to eight years, the highway has gained notoriety for recurring jams that stretch across kilometers. The long-drawn construction of the new Versova Bridge and the repair of the old one had already created bottlenecks that persisted for nearly three years. Every monsoon season adds another layer of hardship, as rainwater fills the deep potholes, further damaging the already weak road surface.
Even after the government spent around ₹600 crore converting parts of the road into a cement-concrete surface, the promised improvement never fully materialized. Potholes still reappear within months, traffic diversions are frequent, and project delays have become routine. The recurring disruptions have left commuters frustrated and disillusioned with what was supposed to be one of the state’s premier transport corridors.
NH-48 holds immense economic significance, linking Maharashtra and Gujarat and passing through industrial hubs like Thane and Pune. Yet, despite being such a crucial route, it has failed to match the efficiency and modernization seen in other regions where expressways and tunnels are being completed at a rapid pace. For daily commuters from Vasai-Virar, the highway remains the only viable option to reach Mumbai, as alternative routes are either unreliable or congested themselves.
The Ro-Ro ferry service, which could have served as a practical alternative, is often overwhelmed, with queues stretching for hundreds of vehicles. Travellers have reported waiting several hours just to board, forcing them to add extra time to their daily schedules. For elderly residents and those who depend on road transport rather than railways, the highway is both a necessity and a burden.
Many now look toward the completion of the Mumbai–Delhi Expressway as the only long-term solution that could ease the heavy traffic load on NH-48. However, progress on this massive infrastructure project has been slow, and its benefits remain distant for the residents of Palghar, Dahanu, and Vasai-Virar. Until that happens, the cycle of repairs, diversions, and gridlocks is expected to continue.
Meanwhile, the economic and environmental toll is rising. Hours-long jams waste thousands of liters of fuel daily, worsening air pollution in already congested regions. Local businesses, including roadside eateries and small shops, have suffered losses, as stranded travellers avoid unnecessary stops. For many, NH-48 has become less a lifeline and more a daily test of endurance, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive and lasting road management reform.
