Mumbai, Sept. 10 -- The Maharashtra government has prohibited the movement of heavy vehicles weighing 16 tonnes or more on the Mumbai-Goa National Highway during key periods of Ganeshotsav to prevent traffic congestion and inconvenience to passengers, according to an order.

The first restriction will be in force from 12.01am on September 11 to 11pm on September 15, covering the period of pre-festival travel and the arrival of Ganesh idols.

According to the order dated September 7, the government took the decision after observing that the movement of heavy vehicles and vehicles transporting sand on NH-66, combined with the substantial rise in the number of vehicles travelling to and from Konkan during Ganeshotsav, could result in traffic...