&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Massive jam on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway leaves over 500 students stranded without water and food")
More than 500 students and commuters were stranded without food and water in a massive traffic jam on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad national highway in Maharashtra's Palghar district on Wednesday. A total of 12 buses carrying students from classes 5 to 10 of different schools, as well as some college students from Thane and Mumbai, were stuck in the jam from around 5:30 pm on Tuesday until early Wednesday morning.
According to the officials, the students were returning from a school picnic and got stuck in a massive 12 hour long traffic jam. The jam was reportedly caused by the diversion of heavy vehicles due to ongoing repair work on the Ghodbunder highway in Thane, which increased traffic on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route. Many were visibly exhausted and anxious as vehicles barely moved during the prolonged gridlock.
Parents of the stranded children waited anxiously for updates on their safety throughout the night. Authorities say, few locals rushed to help the stranded children by distributing water and biscuits. And some even helped the drivers to navigate through the jam. The ordeal finally ended at 6 am on Wednesday morning when the buses reached the destination and children went home with their parents. Locals say this has become an everyday menance at the highway due to the on going repair work causing major inconvenience to commuters who get stuck for hours to clear a 10 minute route.
