Sankranti Surge: Hyderabad–Vijayawada Highway Chokes With Traffic

With the Sankranti festival holidays beginning, the annual rush of people travelling to their native villages has reached its peak, turning the Hyderabad–Vijayawada National Highway (NH-65) into one of the busiest travel corridors in South India. Thousands of passengers, especially employees , IT professionals , students and families have been leaving Hyderabad in large numbers, causing continuous traffic flow and long queues at toll plazas. The situation has become so intense that many commuters feel the city is rapidly emptying out , while officials estimate the traffic surge may continue for the next four to five days .

The pressure has been highest at the Panthangi Toll Plaza near Choutuppal in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district , where vehicle movement increased sharply from Friday midnight and continued through Sunday. Reports suggested motorists were stuck for 2 to 4 hours at toll points near Hyderabad due to bumper-to-bumper traffic. Toll plaza staff said around 2,500–2,700 vehicles per hour were entering the highway, and while normal days witness around 35,000–40,000 vehicles , the festive rush pushed the figures significantly higher. Recent updates indicated nearly 70,000 vehicles crossed Panthangi within a 12-hour window , highlighting the scale of the Sankranti travel wave.

To avoid complete gridlock, authorities opened additional toll booths towards Vijayawada and strengthened FASTag scanning by deploying extra staff for quicker clearance. Emergency preparedness has also been stepped up, with highway patrol vehicles , cranes , and ambulances stationed at key toll plazas including Panthangi , Korlapahad , and Chillakallu , ensuring immediate response in case of breakdowns, accidents, or medical emergencies. Officials said such preparedness was crucial considering last year’s heavy traffic experience during the festival season.

Traffic congestion was not limited to Telangana, as the Andhra side too began witnessing pressure. In NTR district’s Nandigama region , vehicle movement slowed due to the heavy inflow combined with road construction work near major junctions, resulting in temporary stoppages. In response, police introduced well-planned diversions and alternate routes in advance to reduce the load on NH-65. Vehicles headed towards Visakhapatnam , Rajamahendravaram , and Kakinada were diverted through alternative highways to ease congestion, while drone surveillance and continuous highway patrolling were deployed to track traffic in real time and act faster.

The Sankranti rush has also extended beyond highways. Hyderabad’s major transport hubs including Secunderabad , Lingampally , and Cherlapally have been witnessing record passenger turnout, prompting authorities to enhance crowd monitoring and safety measures. To meet demand, South Central Railway (SCR) has introduced special festival trains on multiple routes linking Hyderabad to Andhra Pradesh, while security arrangements were strengthened at stations. Similarly, Telangana RTC rolled out 6,431 special buses for peak travel dates such as January 9, 10, 12 and 13 , and also issued alerts regarding return-travel congestion expected around January 18 and 19 .

Officials believe the outbound rush will continue until Kanuma , with the number of travellers expected to increase further as Andhra Pradesh observes the festival traditionally for three days— Bhogi , Makara Sankranti , and Kanuma . They also warned that highways may witness another intense wave of traffic when people return to cities around January 18–19 , which could again result in heavy toll plaza congestion. Adding to the overall travel intensity, the Godavari districts remain a major Sankranti attraction due to traditional festivities such as rural celebrations and cockfighting events , pushing up vehicle volumes on routes leading to East and West Godavari regions.

Overall, the Sankranti season has transformed NH-65 into a festival highway, with authorities working round-the-clock to prevent the travel rush from turning into a safety issue. Officials have advised travellers to maintain patience , follow traffic rules , ensure sufficient FASTag balance , carry essential supplies, avoid speeding, and drive carefully to ensure a safe journey during the festive period.