MUMBAI, Oct. 3 -- To ease the traffic on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway (NH 48) and Ghodbunder road in Thane, the Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) traffic police has completely banned the entry of heavy vehicles (10 wheelers or more) on the route during peak hours from Friday. This decision comes after residents of Ghodbunder staged several protests in the past few weeks highlighting that the roads in the area were pothole-ridden and choked by traffic making commuting a harrowing experience. As per the MBVV police's new decision, heavy vehicles will not be allowed on the NH48 and Ghodbunder road for five hours in the morning and evening from 06:00 am to 10:00 am and from 5:00 PM to 9:00pm. Traffic police officers said the ban of heavy vehicles into the Thane Commissionerate area during peak hours, led to a lot of congestion along the NH48 and Ghodbunder. To solve this, traffic police said that it was necessary to prohibit the entry and parking of heavy vehicles along the NH48 which were coming from Gujarat and heading towards Thane, Bhiwandi, Kalyan. Police added that within the jurisdiction of the MBVV police commissionerate, they would also ban heavy vehicles which were heading to Thane from Mumbai and Mira-Bhayander. The order said vehicles carrying perishable goods, the fire brigade, ambulances, oxygen gas vehicles, and other essential service vehicles are exempt from the police notification. The order also prohibits the parking of vehicles along the road....