India, Oct. 16 -- The traffic crisis on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway (NH-48) has entered its fifth straight day, stranding thousands of commuters and laying bare severe infrastructure and traffic management lapses. The congestion near Vasai and Palghar has brought movement to a near standstill, leaving school buses, ambulances, and heavy vehicles trapped for hours in seemingly endless queues.

Officials attribute the gridlock to ongoing road repair work and diversion of heavy vehicles, but the situation has spiraled out of control. NH-48, a lifeline connecting Maharashtra and Gujarat and one of India's busiest economic corridors, continues to suffer from poor planning and incomplete infrastructure upgrades.

The crisis deepened on Tuesday...