Traffic Comes to a Standstill at Toll Plazas on Hyderabad-Vijayawada Highway

HYDERABAD: Traffic came to a standstill at toll plazas on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada national highway on Friday due to the rush of people proceeding to their native places from Hyderabad for the extended holiday for Sankranti, January 15, which follows the second Saturday and Sunday.

Even though TSRTC and SCR announced additional services to cater to the rush of passengers, many people preferred travelling in their own vehicles or buses.

Cashing in on the situation, private travel agencies charged Rs 2,000 for a ticket from Hyderabad to Vijayawada and up to Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,000 to the Godavari districts and Visakhapatnam.

Hundreds of vehicles plying around led to traffic snarls at Patangi toll plaza on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway. Following the heavy rush, toll plaza officials opened all ten gates for the convenience of drivers and riders.

According to sources, on an average around 30,000 vehicles pass through Pantangi toll plaza but during the Sankranti season, the number shoots up to 80,000 vehicles per day.