Amaravati: The Hyderabad-Vijayawada national highway continued to witness heavy congestion on Sunday, January 11, as a large number of people travelled to their native places in Andhra Pradesh ahead of the Sankranti festival.
The festival in Andhra Pradesh is marked by a three-day celebration — Bhogi, Makara Sankranti and Kanuma, reflecting the cultural traditions of the Telugu-speaking state.
“72,000 vehicles passed through Panthangi toll Plaza in Telangana on Saturday and nearly 55,000 passed Keesera Toll Plaza near Vijayawada in the last 24 hours, congestion is expected to intensify further during the day,” an official from the National Highway Authority of India told PTI.
Traffic movement slowed significantly at the Pantangi Toll Plaza since early this morning due to the surge in vehicles heading towards AP, prompting authorities to open additional toll booths to manage the rush.
Arrangements were made to ensure quicker FASTag scanning, while patrol vehicles, cranes and ambulances were deployed at Pantangi, Korlapahad and Chillakallu toll plazas as precautionary measures.
Traffic congestion was also reported at Nandigama in NTR district due to the heavy inflow of vehicles from Hyderabad, while ongoing road construction work disrupted movement at the Y-junction.
The official further said traffic is expected to peak again on January 18, when people begin returning to cities after the Sankranti festival.
During Sankranti, the Godavari region attracts special attention for its traditional ‘Kodi Pandelu’ or cockfighting events, which form part of the customary festivities in several areas.
