NH-65 under drone surveillance as Sankranti traffic from Hyderabad peaks

Police deployed surveillance drones along National Highway-65 as traffic snarls continued into the second day of the Sankranti exodus on Saturday (January 10), with tens of thousands of families beginning their annual journey home and turning the highway into a river of vehicles heading towards various districts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Toll fare is being collected at the toll plaza though Telangana government wrote to the Union ministry for a waiver on account of the festival.

The festive rush was particularly evident at the Panthangi Toll Plaza, a critical checkpoint on the route. Nalgonda police said the plaza, which typically handles between 15,000 and 20,000 vehicles a day, is likely to record close to 80,000 vehicles by the end of Saturday, a four-fold rise. More than 43,000 vehicles crossed the highway between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, nearly three times the daily average of around 15,000. The spike began on Friday (January 9) itself, with more than 58,000 vehicles recorded during the 24-hour window from 6 a.m., with traffic volumes peaking during the evening, as per the information shared by the Choutuppal police.

To keep traffic moving amid the surge, police deployed two surveillance drones to monitor long stretches of the highway in real time and identify congestion points before they escalated. One drone has been stationed in the Suryapet circle, covering a 15-kilometre stretch from Tekumatla to Gunjalur villages, while another operates in Kodad, monitoring nearly 35 kilometres between Gunjalur circle and Ramapuram X roads. Officials said the aerial feed has helped ground teams respond quickly to slow-moving traffic and minor bottlenecks.

Suryapet police deployed two surveillance drones to monitor long stretches of the highway in real time and identify congestion points.
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Special Arrangement

Along the Suryapet stretch, police have also deployed additional traffic personnel at 22 key locations, including Tekumatla junction, Rayanigudem and Pillalamarri, where congestion typically builds up during peak hours. Officials said these measures were aimed at preventing breakdowns in traffic flow and responding swiftly to minor incidents before they snowballed into major delays.

Traffic diversions have also been put in place near the NH 365BB, with vehicles diverted at Chivvemla and Ailapuram towards Suryapet town to ensure smoother movement amid ongoing construction work and to ease pressure on the main highway.

Further east, in Abdullapurmet, police credited the recent anti-encroachments drive along the national highway for a visible improvement in traffic movement. Illegal roadside sheds and temporary structures were cleared with the support of the Roads and Buildings and Revenue departments, and damaged stretches were levelled in anticipation of the festive rush. As a result, average vehicle speeds have increased from about 15 kmph to nearly 45 kmph, offering much-needed relief to weary travellers, said Abdullapurmet Inspector V. Ashok Reddy.

Despite the heavy traffic volumes, authorities maintained that the situation remained largely under control. Officials from the Nalgonda police said no traffic jams had been reported on NH-65, though there were a couple of choke points due to flyover construction. Minor congestion was observed up to Chityala, but traffic continued to move steadily without complete standstills.

Within Hyderabad city, however, the exodus combined with local activity led to slow-moving traffic on key corridors. Congestion was reported on the stretch from Exhibition Grounds and Nampally towards Dilsukhnagar via Afzalgunj, as well as along the Mehdipatnam corridor.

Traffic volumes rise on the Mehdipatnam corridor as residents leave the city ahead of Sankranti celebrations.
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Special Arrangement

Traffic officials said the Exhibition Grounds route was particularly busy as it serves both outbound travellers and visitors to the annual Numaish exhibition, drawing large crowds. Areas around LB Nagar Stadium also saw sluggish movement, along with heavy traffic near major transit hubs such as the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station, JBS Parade Grounds, Secunderabad railway station and Kacheguda.

Residents clog key transit hubs in Mehdipatnam ahead of Sankranti celebrations.
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Special Arrangement

As the Sankranti weekend unfolds, authorities have urged motorists to plan their journeys, remain patient and follow traffic advisories.