NALGONDA: With Dasara holidays ending, thousands of people from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana headed back to Hyderabad on Wednesday evening, triggering severe traffic congestion on National Highway 65 (NH-65).
Ongoing flyover and overbridge construction at Choutuppal and Chityala, coupled with narrow service roads, worsened the rush, leaving vehicles stranded for kilometres.
The situation was particularly grim near Dandu Malkapur in Choutuppal mandal of Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district, where commuters said they were spending an additional 90 minutes to cross the stretch during peak hours.
In Chityala town, the main road has been closed for overbridge construction, forcing motorists onto narrow service roads. Commuters said crossing the town alone took more than half an hour.
A vehicle breakdown or even a small vehicle stopping on the service road could bring traffic to a standstill for kilometres. Locals and commuters expressed anger over the lack of advance planning and proper alternative routes.
Congestion also increased at the Choutuppal tollgate, though officials said heavy rush was confined to cash counters for vehicles without FASTag and at dedicated pass counters.
Police personnel from Nalgonda and Choutuppal have stepped in to regulate traffic. Commuters urged authorities to deploy more personnel and widen temporary roads at the earliest.