Hyderabad: Heavy traffic congestion continued for five consecutive days on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada National Highway, with a sharp spike in vehicle movement recorded during the weekend. Police said as many as 71,284 vehicles crossed the stretch on Saturday alone, marking the highest single-day traffic volume.
On Friday, the highway recorded around 53,000 vehicles, followed by nearly 62,000 vehicles on Sunday. Traffic remained high on Monday with about 56,000 vehicles, while Tuesday again saw close to 62,000 vehicles. In total, 3.04 lakh vehicles passed through the Pantangi toll plaza in both directions over five days.
Out of this volume, police said nearly 2.04 lakh vehicles moved only towards Vijayawada. On Wednesday, however, traffic flow returned to normal levels. Police noted that during the same festive period last year, around 2.07 lakh vehicles passed through the stretch in the three days before the festival.
Hyderabad–Vijayawada highway traffic diverted through alternate routes
Police initially expected even higher traffic volumes this year. However, they said construction of underpass bridges at identified black spots along the Hyderabad–Vijayawada highway led many motorists to choose alternate routes.
According to officials, travellers heading towards Guntur, Macherla, Addanki, Ongole, Prakasam, and Nellore districts preferred the Nagarjunasagar highway. Meanwhile, commuters travelling towards Khammam and Vijayawada diverted via the Bhongir–Chityal route.
Police said these diversions helped ease congestion on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada highway despite sustained holiday traffic.