Return Rush Congests Highways to Hyderabad From AP After Sankranti

Vijayawada: With the conclusion of Sankranti holidays, return travel from Andhra Pradesh to Hyderabad and other places gathered sharp momentum on Saturday, leading to heavy congestion on major national highways. Traffic snarls could be seen at multiple places. The most impact had been on the Vijayawada-Hyderabad national highway, where long queues of vehicles could be seen throughout the day.

A steady stream of cars and buses moved out from Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Rajamahendravaram, Eluru, Vijayawada and Guntur, resulting in massive build-ups at toll plazas along the route. Heavy congestion had been reported at Kalaparru and Gottipadu toll plazas near Gannavaram, the Kesara toll plaza near Nandigama, and the Chilakaluripet toll plaza on the Jaggayyapeta stretch. Vehicles crawled for long distances as toll booths struggled to cope with the sudden surge. Officials recalled that a similar situation had arisen four days ago when more than 80,000 vehicles entered Andhra Pradesh from Telangana ahead of the festival.

Now, with the holidays drawing to a close, the return rush has made the traffic situation even more intense. Authorities expect the congestion to continue through Sunday as well. In NTR district, Ambarupeta Y-junction in the Nandigama area and Gollapudi on the outskirts of Vijayawada city witnessed massive traffic jams, with vehicles stranded for nearly two kilometres. Police intervened swiftly, allowing traffic to move via the flyover and diverting vehicles to ease the bottleneck. To minimise disruption, traffic police in Vijayawada implemented special measures, diverting Hyderabad-bound vehicles via the West Bypass to prevent them from entering the city. As a result, traffic flow within Vijayawada remained largely smooth. Bus terminals in key AP cities wore a packed look on Saturday, as travellers started queuing up from early morning, carrying luggage and festival purchases.

Several APSRTC bus complexes could be seen teeming with passengers. Rush had been particularly intense on routes connecting Vijayawada, Guntur, Nellore, Rajamahendravaram and Visakhapatnam to Hyderabad, officials said. To manage the increased demand, Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation deployed special buses on high-density routes.

Importantly, APSRTC clarified that no extra fare is being levied on these special services. Arrangement of special buses will continue over the next few days until passenger traffic returns to normal levels. Police have urged motorists to remain patient and strictly follow traffic advisories to ensure a safer and smoother journey.