Devotees Face Uphill Task Reaching Native Places for Ganesh Festival Due to Traffic Snarls and Pothole-Ridden Roads

Scores of Lord Ganesh devotees from Mumbai and adjoining areas faced difficulties reaching their native villages in Maharashtra's coastal Konkan region due to poor road conditions, late running of trains, buses and traffic snarls on the Mumbai-Goa Highway. The journey took almost double the usual time due to potholes and hours-long traffic congestion at various locations.

As the festive season of Ganesh Chaturthi commenced in Maharashtra, scores of devotees found themselves facing an uphill task to reach their native places in the Konkan region. The journey, usually filled with anticipation and excitement, was marred by late-running trains, buses and traffic snarls on the Mumbai-Goa Highway at several stretches. This year's festival started from Tuesday and saw a significant influx of Lord Ganesh devotees from Mumbai and its adjoining areas travelling to their native villages.

Challenges Faced by Devotees

The major challenge faced by these devotees was the poor road conditions coupled with long hours of traffic jams on various locations along the highway. Motorists reported that it took almost double the time required for reaching their respective villages in Konkan from Mumbai due to potholes and hours-long traffic snarls at various locations on the Mumbai-Goa Highway. It is noteworthy that despite more than a decade of work, this crucial stretch remains incomplete.

A Testimony to The Ordeal

Santosh Sakapal, a resident of Thane who originally hails from Khed town in Ratnagiri district provided testimony to this ordeal. He shared his experience stating that he reached his destination after 13 grueling hours of bus journey when normally it takes 6 to 7 hours ride only. Sakapal boarded a private luxury bus from Thane at around 7 am on Sunday but could only reach his hometown 13 hours later.

Traffic Snarls: A Major Concern

According to motorists who undertook this journey during this festive period, they faced maximum problems on two specific stretches - Panvel-Indapur and Sangmeshwar-Ratnagiri sections of the highway which were riddled with potholes and traffic congestion. This has not only led to increased travel time but also dampened the festive spirit among many who were looking forward to celebrate the festival with their larger families and relatives back in their villages.

In conclusion, the situation presented a stark contrast between the joyous occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi and the arduous journey undertaken by devotees due to poor infrastructure. The challenges faced by these devotees underscore the need for urgent attention towards improving road conditions, especially during such auspicious occasions when there is a significant movement of people from cities to rural areas. It is hoped that authorities will take note of this situation and ensure better planning and execution of infrastructure projects so that similar problems do not recur in future.