PANAJI
The Maharashtra government has stepped in to tackle the chaotic vehicular movement on the heavily monsoon battered Mumbai-Goa national highway-66 putting restrictions on its use by heavy vehicles during the Ganesh Chaturthi season.
The Maharashtra transport department has barred the use of this highway by heavy vehicles until August 28 and during the day time between 8 am to 11 pm from August 28 to September 2.
Again on September 6 and 7, heavy vehicles including trucks, lorries, trailers and multi-axle vehicles, will not be permitted to use the highway.
The restrictions were imposed since large influx of people happens in the Konkan region during the Ganesh festival and to make their travel safe, Maharashtra Additional Director General of Police, Praveen Salunkhe has said.
Salunkhe has also communicated the decision to Goa Director General of Police, Alok Kumar, IPS, with a request to alert all police stations in his jurisdiction and implement the restrictions to avoid traffic chaos in the Konkan region.
The restrictions however do not apply to vehicles carrying essentials including milk, petrol, diesel, cooking gas cylinders, medicines, liquid medical oxygen, food grains, vegetables and perishable goods, Salunkhe said in his communication.
