Hyderabad, Jan.10 (RAHNUMA): With the Sankranthi festival season setting in, roads in and around Hyderabad are witnessing heavy traffic congestion as thousands of people head to their hometowns, aided by the second Saturday and Sunday holidays. Traffic has surged sharply on the Hyderabad – Vijayawada National Highway (NH-65), bringing long stretches to a crawl.
Vehicles have lined up near the Outer Ring Road (ORR), while massive queues were reported at the Pantangi toll plaza from Saturday morning. Traffic remained nearly at standstill for about six kilometres between Pedda Kaparthi and Veliminedu.
On an average, 35,000 to 40,000 vehicles pass through the Pantangi toll plaza daily. However, the number shot up to nearly 65,000 vehicles on Friday alone, with officials expecting even higher volumes on Saturday. Toll plaza staff and police have been put on high alert to manage the situation.
Authorities attributed the congestion to the narrow road stretch, the festive rush, and ongoing flyover construction near Pedda Kaparthi. Poor road conditions and potholes on service roads have further slowed vehicle movement. Heavy traffic was also reported at the Keesara toll plaza, with increased inflow of vehicles into Hyderabad.
Despite traffic management measures and technological interventions, officials admit that congestion during peak festival travel remains largely unavoidable.
