Hyderabad: Heavy traffic congestion was witnessed on major roads, highways and transport hubs in Hyderabad on Sunday, October 18, as people began travelling to their hometowns for the Dasara holidays.
Due to the festive rush, vehicle movement on several routes was slow. Long queues were reported on highways leading out of the city.
Hyderabad-Vijayawada
On the Hyderabad–Vijayawada highway, vehicles were seen waiting for kilometres near Choutuppal and the Pantangi toll plaza.
Traffic crawled between Choutuppal and Dharmojigudem. Work at the flyover, underpass and service road added to the delays.
Police diverted vehicles through Lakkaram, Valigonda and Chityala to reduce congestion.
Traffic jams on major highways from Hyderabad
The festive rush also affected the Hyderabad-Warangal, Hyderabad-Karimnagar and Hyderabad-Kurnool highways.
Long queues of vehicles were reported at the Gudur, Korlapahad, Duddeda and Renikunta toll plazas.
Traffic congestion was also reported within Hyderabad. At the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS), there was a huge rush as many people travelled by bus to reach their hometowns.
Metro stations at MGBS, Secunderabad and Mettuguda also saw a rise in passengers.
With large numbers of people using buses and trains to travel for Dasara, traffic congestion is expected to continue in Hyderabad.
Rush at Zoo Park
Meanwhile, Nehru Zoological Park, which is commonly known as the Hyderabad Zoo, witnessed a major rise in visitors on Sunday, October 18, as Dasara holidays for schools are nearing their end.
On Sunday, 20,483 people visited the zoo. It was the highest daily attendance recorded during the ongoing holiday season.
In order to handle the large crowds, zoo authorities have set up more ticket counters and deployed additional security personnel across the premises to ensure visitor safety.
As many people visit their hometowns during the Dasara festival, the rush is expected to continue on highways leading out of Hyderabad.
