Pune’s highways were gridlocked this Diwali, with drivers spending hours inching forward amid honking and heavy congestion. Major routes, including the Mumbai–Pune Expressway and Pune–Nashik Highway, experienced a nearly 40% increase in vehicle volumes compared to normal days.
On the Pune–Satara highway alone, more than 65,000 vehicles were recorded on a single post-Diwali return day. In some stretches, travel that usually takes 45 minutes stretched to more than two and a half hours.
According to the Pune Traffic Police, the city has over 1.5 million registered vehicles, with around 400,000 new vehicles added each year. During peak festival weekends, average speeds on major highways often drop below 10 km/h, leaving commuters frustrated. “It’s like the city stops. Even small trips turn into full-day marathons,” said a local commuter, describing the annual holiday traffic ordeal.
While some residents blame visitors from neighboring cities such as Nagpur and Solapur, experts point to a more structural issue: job concentration in the city center. Pune’s IT, manufacturing, and education sectors are heavily clustered, forcing long commutes and putting highways under severe strain.
Pune has seen a 39% year-on-year increase in jobs and a 7% month-on-month growth as of early 2025 (ETHRWorld.com). Maharashtra accounted for more than 30% of new jobs created in India over the past five years (Business Standard). Industrial Development data shows that Pune MIDC areas reported employment of around 19,135 lakh units, while Nashik and Amravati lagged at 14,860 and 7,688, respectively (CDN BBSR).
City planners and experts say the solution lies in decentralization. Expanding offices, industries, and services to Tier-II and Tier-III towns such as Nagpur, Solapur, and Akola could reduce commuting times, ease congestion, and promote balanced regional growth.
Other measures suggested include smarter traffic management through upgraded toll systems and alternate routes, development of self-sufficient suburbs and smaller towns, and spreading jobs and resources to prevent bottlenecks in city centers.
Pune commuters spend 2–3 hours daily in traffic, but experts say better planning and decentralization could reclaim that time. The Diwali jams highlight that congestion is a symptom of structural planning issues, not inevitability.