Hyderabad–Vijayawada highway sees Sankranti return rush
HYDERABAD: Traffic congestion built up on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada National Highway as a large number of people began returning after Sankranti holidays.
After spending nearly a week at their native places, commuters started heading back to Hyderabad to resume work from Monday. Vehicle movement has increased on the highway since Saturday.
More vehicles after Amavasya travel
Sunday being Amavasya, many chose to travel a day earlier. Those without the Amavasya sentiment started their journeys on Monday, leading to sustained traffic through the day.
Police set up pickets at multiple locations and took steps to prevent traffic from coming to a standstill. Toll plaza officials said traffic volumes surged between 7 pm and late night on Sunday.
Toll delays, roadworks slow movement
More than 3 lakh vehicles had travelled on the highway during the Sankranti period, and the return flow led to sudden congestion. Commuters reported longer waiting times at toll plazas.
Toll operators opened additional lanes towards Hyderabad to ease the rush. However, ongoing roadworks at several stretches slowed traffic despite diversions, causing inconvenience to motorists.
