Telangana seeks toll waiver for Sankranti traffic on Hyderabad–Vijayawada route

Hyderabad: Telangana Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy has written to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, requesting toll exemption on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada route during the Sankranti festival period.

In his letter dated December 30, 2025, Venkat Reddy said that Sankranti leads to a major surge in vehicle movement between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The traffic, largely one-way from Hyderabad to Vijayawada, begins the weekend before January 13 and reverses after January 16. He cited toll data from Panthangi, Korlaphad, and Chilakallu points, noting a 200% rise in volume compared to normal days.

The Minister stated that this spike leads to heavy congestion and delays at toll plazas, further worsened by junction bottlenecks, ongoing roadworks, and dense habitation areas. He added that the state government is coordinating with NHAI and the traffic police to ensure smoother movement.

Toll waiver for Sankranti traffic sought between Jan 9–18

To ease the burden on commuters, Venkat Reddy requested a toll-free window from January 9 to 14 for traffic moving from Hyderabad to Vijayawada, and from January 16 to 18 for return traffic from Vijayawada to Hyderabad. He said such a move would be in the public interest and essential for seamless travel during the festival.

Hon’ble Union Minister Shri @nitin_gadkari ji,

Sankranti is the biggest festival of the Telugu states, leading to heavy inter-state travel. I respectfully request your kind consideration to permit toll-free movement on NH-65 (Hyderabad–Vijayawada corridor) from 9th to 18th… pic.twitter.com/6z1zdPWrhF

— Komatireddy Venkat Reddy (@KomatireddyKVR) December 30, 2025