Traffic congestion continued on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada National Highway on Sunday and extended into the early hours of Monday as the Sankranti 2026 festival rush intensified. With the second Saturday and Sunday falling just before Sankranti, thousands of people living in Hyderabad began traveling to their hometowns, leading to heavy vehicular movement.
Due to the sudden surge in traffic, vehicles were stuck for several kilometers at the Pantangi Toll Plaza in Yadadri district. Motorists reported waiting on the roads for hours, causing frustration and delays. The traffic jam affected both private vehicles and public transport, creating chaos on the highway.
FASTag Issues Worsen Congestion at Toll Plazas
Toll plaza officials and police said that although the FASTag system is in place, technical issues and improper toll payments caused delays. At several toll gates, including Korlapahad Toll Plaza in Kethepalli Mandal, FASTag scanners failed to read some vehicles, forcing manual intervention. As a result, traffic piled up quickly and stretched for long distances.
Meanwhile, congestion also continued on National Highway-65, where rising vehicle numbers and lack of precautionary measures at accident-prone black spots raised safety concerns among motorists.
Police Step Up Traffic Control Measures
In response, senior police officials including DSP Sivaram Reddy, CI Nagaraju, SI Mavidi Ravikumar, and SP Sarathchandra Pawar inspected traffic conditions on NH-65 in Chityaal. They reviewed ground-level traffic control measures and instructed officials to ensure smooth vehicle movement and prevent accidents during the festival rush.
Officials stressed that passenger safety remains the top priority. They directed teams to closely monitor the movement of buses, lorries, and private vehicles to avoid disruptions.
Heavy Rush from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Bengaluru
Thousands of travelers from Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Bengaluru are returning to their hometowns for Sankranti. As a result, traffic congestion has been reported at several key junctions. In Hyderabad, LB Nagar, a major exit route, witnessed heavy traffic from early morning.
Traffic DCP V. Srinivasulu said authorities had planned arrangements in advance based on previous years’ experiences. He confirmed that special measures are in place to clear bottlenecks and remove vehicles parked in no-parking zones.
Motorists Advised to Cooperate
Police have deployed additional personnel at sensitive locations and formed special monitoring teams. Continuous surveillance is underway to regulate traffic flow. Authorities urged motorists to follow traffic rules and cooperate with police to avoid inconvenience during the festive season.
Traffic congestion on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada highway has been increasing steadily for the past two to three days. Long queues of vehicles remain visible, especially near Pantangi toll plaza and Choutuppal town, highlighting the scale of the Sankranti travel rush.
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