Bottlenecks on Ahmedabad-Mumbai National Highway continue to create traffic jams

Vadodara: Once again, a kilometer-long traffic jam has paralyzed the Ahmedabad-Mumbai National Highway near Vadodara this morning. The traffic jam occurred at its regular spot near the Jambuva Bridge after large potholes reappeared on the bridge. The jam, which began overnight, left motorists stranded for over two hours, with ambulances also caught in the gridlock, putting lives at risk.

Long queues of vehicles stretched from Varnama to Tarsali, adding to commuters’ frustration. Residents and daily commuters complain this has become a routine ordeal, especially during the monsoon, as repeated patchwork fails to stop potholes from resurfacing. Notably, this is the fifth such major traffic congestion of around 15 km in the last month, with similar snarls reported on June 19, June 26, June 28, and June 29.

Media reports reveal that large potholes have emerged on the route, slowing traffic to a crawl and causing chaos. Nearby residents also struggle daily; many children get delayed reaching school, and people living in societies near the bridge find it difficult to even exit their gates.

A frustrated commuter told the media, “I’ve been stuck for two hours while heading to Palej for work. There’s no traffic police here; the authorities should step in.”

Motorists traveling between Ahmedabad and Surat are especially affected. Locals are demanding a permanent solution, urging authorities to carry out proper road repairs instead of temporary fixes to prevent this recurring disruption.

Meanwhile, in similar news, severe traffic congestion was reported again on Tuesday on National Highway-48 near Ankleshwar. A traffic jam stretching around 5 kilometers formed on the lane heading from Vadodara towards Surat.

Due to the narrow bridge at Amlekhadi and the poor condition of the highway, motorists were stuck in traffic for two to three hours. This problem has now become a daily occurrence.

Drivers commuting between the Ankleshwar-Dahej industrial area and Surat have grown increasingly frustrated by this situation. They are demanding urgent repairs to the highway and an expansion of the Amlekhadi bridge to find a permanent solution to the traffic jams.