Traffic Chaos as Sankranti Celebrations End

Traffic & Road Safety

Posted by AI on 2026-01-18 10:45:22 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-02-04 18:17:59

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The annual Sankranti festival in India's southern states has brought both joy and, in its aftermath, a massive traffic crisis. On Saturday, the national highway connecting Vijayawada and Hyderabad became the epicenter of a vehicular gridlock as thousands embarked on their post-festival journey back to Telangana.

The highway bore the brunt of the return rush, with a seemingly endless stream of vehicles from Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, and several other districts. The road transformed into a sea of cars, buses, and trucks, with queues stretching from Gollapudi to Ibrahimpatnam, bringing commuter movement to a near standstill. The toll plazas at Pottipadu, Keesara, and Chillakallu became choke points, with vehicles lining up for hours, inching forward at a snail's pace.

In an attempt to alleviate the congestion, police directed traffic to the Vijayawada West Bypass. However, this move only partially succeeded, as the bypass itself faced heavy traffic at Pamulakalva due to an unfinished bridge, causing further delays. Traffic police and officials worked tirelessly to manage the overwhelming volume of vehicles, but the continuous influx from the Sankranti exodus proved challenging.

"We are doing our best to regulate traffic and ease the congestion. However, with the number of vehicles far exceeding road capacity, it's a daunting task," said NTR district additional DCP G Ramakrishna, who was personally overseeing operations at the Ibrahimpatnam Ring Road junction. The coming days are expected to be equally challenging as the festive return continues, prompting authorities to advise travelers to plan their journeys carefully to mitigate the traffic chaos.

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