NCP Leader Supriya Sule Stuck in Mumbai-Pune Traffic For Two Hours on Maharashtra Day

A major traffic gridlock on the Mumbai–Pune Motorway left hundreds of commuters stranded for hours on Thursday, with even senior political leaders getting caught in the congestion. Among them was Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) MP Supriya Sule, who shared a video from inside the jam showing the scale of disruption and interacting directly with fellow motorists stuck alongside her.

In the video, Sule can be seen speaking to commuters on the motorway while vehicles remain barely moving. At one point, she remarks, “It has been two hours,” highlighting the severity of the delay. Drivers around her respond casually, with one motorist replying, “Jai Maharashtra", as the exchange turns into an unusual roadside interaction amid the chaos.

The congestion reportedly occurred on a day when heavy intercity movement was already expected due to Maharashtra Day celebrations and a long weekend. Many travellers were heading between Mumbai and Pune for personal trips and official events, adding pressure to an already busy highway corridor. The timing coincided with the partial opening of the “Missing Link” project section on the Yashwantrao Chavan Motorway, which also contributed to traffic adjustments in certain stretches.

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The “Missing Link” project, implemented by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), is designed to improve connectivity between Mumbai and Pune by bypassing difficult terrain and reducing travel time. However, officials and commuters noted that while infrastructure upgrades aim to ease long-term congestion, short-term traffic management during openings and peak travel days can still lead to bottlenecks.

Authorities also pointed out that the situation was worsened by holiday travel demand, with a large number of private vehicles on the route. Traffic movement remained slow for several hours before gradually easing. Sule’s video quickly circulated on social media, drawing attention to recurring congestion issues on one of Maharashtra’s most important transport corridors and renewing calls for more effective real-time traffic management systems.

Also Read: Missing Link Project on Mumbai-Pune Expressway Aims to Enhance Safety, Prevent Accidents: MSRDC