VIJAYAWADA: Heavy traffic jams plagued the Hyderabad-Vijayawada national highway and other major routes on Thursday as people from Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru and surrounding areas began returning home after celebrating Sankranti at their native places.
Following the conclusion of the Sankranti festival on Wednesday, travellers in buses and private cars were heading back to their cities, causing significant congestion on highways. This surge in traffic has led to delays, particularly at toll plazas. Railway stations also saw heavy crowds over the past two days.
To manage the chaos, state police made additional arrangements, deploying officers on key routes leading to Hyderabad from Vijayawada, Kakinada, Bhimavaram, Machilipatnam, Rajamahendravaram and Visakhapatnam. Their aim was to ensure public safety and clear traffic promptly.
At the Keesara toll plaza, traffic volume spiked from Wednesday, with 2 lakh vehicles passing, and half a dozen cops were stationed to regulate the flow. Local police deployed extra staff at toll plazas across the state to mitigate congestion. Transport officials expect the rush to persist until Sunday.