Several commuters on the Mumbai Pune Expressway criticised the timing of the Missing Link launch, noting that it was scheduled on the first day of a long weekend. (Express Photo by Deepak Joshi)The much-awaited launch of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway’s ‘Missing Link’ led to hour-long jams on one of the state’s busiest routes on Friday, leaving thousands of commuters stuck since early morning.The 13-km road between Khopoli and Lonavala, built by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), was meant to ease traffic in the Khandala Ghat area and cut travel time. However, on the day of its launch, the new road was not opened to the public until the formal inauguration by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde—forcing all vehicles to move along the old ghat road during peak morning traffic—a stretch infamous for bottlenecks.The situation worsened after a lane on the existing expressway was closed for the inauguration arrangements. With less road space and heavy traffic, long queues formed across the ghat, and vehicles barely moved in several stretches.The police said the new route could not be opened before the ceremony and that traffic would ease once it was made available. However, commuters reported being stuck for over five hours, with many vehicles at a standstill.“We started around 7 am from Andheri, but are still stuck. Because of the heat, our car has now broken down,” a commuter said, adding that several vehicles were overheating in the jam. Many questioned why the road was not opened earlier.Also Read | Mumbai-Pune travel time cut by 30 minutes as Expressway’s missing link opens todaySeveral commuters also criticised the timing, noting that the inauguration was held on the first day of a long weekend, when traffic on the Mumbai-Pune corridor is typically high. Many said the government could have opened the road in advance or avoided restrictions during peak hours.Opposition slams governmentOpposition leaders said the situation showed poor planning. Congress leader Atul Londhe accused the government of focusing on publicity over public convenience. “The focus was on the event, not on the people travelling,” he said.Story continues below this adNCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, who was herself caught in the jam, shared a video showing long lines of vehicles. A commuter next to her said he had been on the road since 7 am but had not moved for two hours. Sule said families, children and senior citizens were among those stranded and pointed out that such delays are a regular problem in the ghat. She urged the Devendra Fadnavis-led government to improve traffic management and find a lasting solution.Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party MP Sunil Tatkare advised motorists to stay calm. “Motorists should be patient. Once the expressway is opened to the public, the traffic will clear up. Traffic is not new on this route, so people should have some patience,” he said.