Find solution to traffic woes in 'ghat' section of Ajanta Caves route: Danve writes to Gadkari

Shiv Sena UBT leader Ambadas Danve has written a letter to Union minister Nitin Gadkari, seeking a solution to the frequent traffic jams that occur in hilly stretch of the route to the world famous Ajanta Caves in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve has written a letter to Union minister Nitin Gadkari, seeking a solution to the frequent traffic jams that occur in hilly stretch of the route to the world famous Ajanta Caves in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Ajanta Caves complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for exquisite, preserved mural paintings, intricate sculpture and rock-cut architecture. There are 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments, which draw tourists from across the world. However, despite its popularity, the road that takes travellers to the cave monument often witnesses traffic jams, especially the 4.5 km-long 'ghat' (hilly) section. It is a two lane route, where vehicle breakdown or other technical faults can lead to long queues of vehicles. The month of April alone witnessed traffic jams as many as 38 times in this section, officials said. Danve, in his letter to the Union Road Transport Minister, sought a permanent solution to the traffic issues faced on the route. The instances of traffic jams are impacting tourism at the Ajanta Caves complex. Due to the snarls, the schedule of the tourists also gets affected, Danve said. These traffic jams are also mounting pressure on the administration and the police machinery, he added. There is a need to create a separate bay in the ghat section to park the affected vehicles so that traffic keeps running smoothly, he said. ''This road connects the northern and the southern parts of the country. When the Kumbh Mela takes place (in Nashik), such traffic congestion in the ghat can create law and order problems. So there is a need to find a permanent solution,'' Danve wrote in the letter to Gadkari.