01 May,2026 10:54 AM IST | Mumbai | Sonali Kulkarni
Screen grab of actor Sonali Kulkarni’s viral video describing the hours-long traffic gridlock and lack of basic facilities on the Mumbai-Pune route. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
"My post came out of genuine concern and fear. So many people were stuck, and some who were trying to get home even chose to walk down the bridge. I myself walked nearly a kilometre, back and forth, even backwards at times.
People were stranded for hours. Children were crying, people were hungry, and there was no water or food available anywhere. The worst part was the lack of basic facilities. Women, especially, had no access to washrooms.
The only positive was the traffic control room. When I called, the officer patiently answered my questions. Even when I called out of frustration and asked what we were supposed to do, he humbly requested cooperation, explaining that the stranded vehicle was in a critical position and difficult to reach. The teams were trying, but they simply could not access the spot.
I was travelling from Mumbai to Pune and had to pick up a colleague at Vashi, but I couldn't reach her. What was supposed to be a five-hour journey turned into nearly 10 to 11 hours. Despite everything, people remained calm. There were no fights or chaos. Many even switched off their vehicles to save fuel. That resilience was remarkable.
But as a metro city, we need to ask hard questions. What if there had been a medical emergency? Who is accountable, and when will such infrastructure issues be fixed? At some point, resilience stops being a virtue and starts feeling like helplessness."
