Nagpur: For hundreds of Nagpurians driving home from Pune to celebrate Diwali with family, the much-hyped Samruddhi Mahamarg turned into a highway of frustration. What was meant to be a symbol of progress became a slow-moving parking lot as massive traffic jams stretched for kilometres near Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Shikrapur, and Ahilyanagar.
To make matters worse, several petrol pumps along the route ran dry under the heavy load. The few operational stations witnessed massive rushes and serpentine queues of vehicles waiting for refuelling—some stretching back onto the main highway and adding to the congestion.
Gold Rate
18 Oct 2025
Ongoing construction work, a lane closure, and an unprecedented festive rush choked the route for hours. Several operational petrol pumps ran dry under the heavy load of vehicles, with long queues snaking out onto the road.
A Nagpur couple working in Pune, said, “We were stuck for nearly three hours without any police management. The happiness of reaching home for Diwali was replaced with sheer fatigue.”
Typically, the Pune–Nagpur drive via Samruddhi takes around 10–12 hours. This Diwali weekend, it stretched to nearly 18 hours or more for many, with vehicles inching forward under the blazing sun. The absence of timely updates, diversions, or adequate on-ground police deployment worsened the gridlock.
While the Samruddhi Mahamarg has often been hailed as Maharashtra’s “expressway of progress,” the festive weekend exposed its logistical flaws. Travellers complained of poor coordination between highway authorities and local police, especially around construction zones.
For thousands returning home for Diwali, what began as a symbol of pride in Maharashtra’s infrastructure turned into a test of patience and endurance.
The festival of lights may unite families, but this year, it also united weary travellers in one long, unmoving line stretching across the Samruddhi.
