Sankranthi Triggers Traffic Jams And Overcrowding

Sankranthi has brought heavy traffic and overcrowding to the two Telugu States as city residents head for their hometowns to celebrate the festival.

Bus stands, railway stations and metro trains in Hyderabad are witnessing massive crowds, and toll plazas and highways are grappling with increased vehicular movement.

Key bus stops like those in L B Nagar, Uppal, Miyapur, Secunderabad, MGBS and JBS are flooded with passengers. Metro rail stations are also experiencing significant congestion, with commuters relying heavily on the metro rail for travel.

The highways are also gridlocked in many places, with both State-run RTC buses and private vehicles contributing to the jams, especially on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada route. The Hyderabad-Vijayawada National Highway experienced severe traffic jams this morning, particularly on the Abdullapurmet ORR stretch. Slow-moving traffic extended from Abdullapurmet to Kothagudem due to an underpass construction at the Choutuppal junction. At the Panthangi toll plaza, vehicles were stranded as traffic surged to nearly 40,000 vehicles per day, compared to the usual 15,000. To ease congestion, the police diverted vehicles to alternative routes and implemented crowd management measures at toll gates.

The rush is expected to intensify on Sunday as more travellers depart ahead of the festival. Authorities are taking steps to mitigate delays, but the strain on the infrastructure remains evident.

The Sankranthi holiday rush has become a recurring challenge, highlighting the need for enhanced traffic and transportation management during festive seasons.

Meanwhile, RTA officials conducted raids on private travel buses in Ranga Reddy district, targeting violations. At the Pedda Amberpet ORR, inspections led to cases against 11 buses for flouting norms, and to one bus being seized by officials.