The Maharashtra government has prohibited the movement of heavy vehicles weighing 16 tonnes or more on the Mumbai-Goa National Highway during key periods of Ganeshotsav to prevent traffic congestion and inconvenience to passengers, according to an order.
The restriction, however, will not apply to vehicles transporting import and export cargo to and from Jawaharlal Nehru Port and Jaigad ports. The government took the decision after observing that the movement of heavy vehicles and vehicles transporting sand on NH-66, combined with the substantial rise in the number of vehicles travelling to and from Konkan during Ganeshotsav, could result in traffic congestion, according to the order dated September 7. The government has clarified that the 16-tonne limit refers to the vehicle’s total gross weight, including the goods carried by it, rather than merely the unladen weight of the vehicle. The transport department said the measures were necessary as the number of vehicles travelling towards Konkan increases considerably during Ganeshotsav, while the movement of heavy vehicles and sand-laden vehicles on NH-66 could contribute to congestion and inconvenience for festival travellers.
