A major traffic congestion was reported at Kalamboli Circle in Navi Mumbai shortly after the closure of the Pune-Mumbai Expressway exit, leading authorities to temporarily reopen it. The exit was initially shut on Tuesday, February 11, as part of a construction project involving a flyover and an underpass at Kalamboli Circle, being carried out by the Maharashtra State Infrastructure Development Corporation (MSIDC). This closure was set to last for six months, with vehicles bound for Panvel and JNPT diverted via the Sion-Panvel Highway and Taloja Link Road.
However, within just two hours of the closure, traffic jams became overwhelming, forcing the authorities to reopen the exit temporarily. Despite this, the exit was shut again by Tuesday evening, causing further confusion. The decision to temporarily reopen the exit was also influenced by the ongoing Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams. Police later clarified that the exit would remain open for the next two to three days due to the contractor’s failure to deploy adequate traffic wardens. But by Wednesday, the exit was closed once more, raising concerns about the planning and execution of traffic management.
A senior Navi Mumbai police officer explained, "The road was temporarily reopened for a few hours in the late morning due to heavy congestion at the junction. After reviewing the situation and implementing revised traffic measures, we decided to proceed with the original plan and keep the exit closed." The back-and-forth closure highlighted the challenges in executing traffic regulations effectively, causing confusion for commuters. Kalamboli Circle, a crucial junction connecting major roads, has seen rising traffic volumes, especially with the construction of the Navi Mumbai International Airport. This expansion is seen as necessary to accommodate future traffic demands.