Lockdown: People on the move, Nashik highway sees traffic jam

Nashik, May 10 () The Mumbai-Agra highway passingthrough Nashik in Maharashtra witnessed a traffic jam earlySunday morning like in the days before the coronavirus-inducedlockdown as hundreds of stranded people tried to make theirway back to their native regions in Madhya Pradesh and UttarPradesh.

Eye-witnesses said people were either stuffed to thebrim in private vehicles or were seen hailing passing vehiclesto hitch rides, many of those on the roads not wearing masksand some too close to each other in violation of socialdistancing norms in place for the virus outbreak.

Similar scenes, including people walking in groups andcycling, were also witnessed on Nashik-Pune, Nashik-Aurangabadhighways, they said.

Several videos of the movement of migrants on thesehighways were circulated on social media as well.

While the Centre and states have been running ShramikSpecial trains to get stranded migrants back to their nativetowns and villages, the sheer numbers are overwhelming, agreeofficials, and many of them are preferring to take theunofficial route of private and public transport vehicles toleave. CORBNM BNM