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Sankranti Exodus Clogs Hyderabad–Vijayawada Highway as Toll Plazas Log Tens of Thousands of Vehicles

Authorities warn of another peak when return trips begin on January 18.

Overview

  • An NHAI official reported 72,000 vehicles at Panthangi on Saturday and about 55,000 at Keesera in the past 24 hours, with volumes expected to rise through Sunday.
  • Extra toll booths were opened and FASTag processing was sped up, with patrol vehicles, cranes and ambulances deployed at Pantangi, Korlapahad and Chillakallu.
  • Hyderabad police worked major exit points such as LB Nagar by clearing encroachments, removing illegal parking and deploying additional personnel to ease flow.
  • Roadworks worsened bottlenecks at the Nandigama Y-junction and on stretches in Nalgonda district, prompting diversions and route advisories from local police.
  • To absorb the rush, TGSRTC and APSRTC are operating thousands of festival specials and railways have added trains to packed stations, with a return-journey surge expected around January 18.