Bumper-to-bumper traffic continues for second day
Post-Sankranti rush on Vja-Hyd national highway
Vijayawada: Despitedrone-assisted, data-backed traffic regulations, exasperating bumper-to-bumper traffic continued for the second consecutive day on Sunday on the Vijayawada–Hyderabad National Highway as thousands of commuters headed for Hyderabad after enjoying Sankranti festival holidays in their native places. The situation was particularly intense at the Ibrahimpatnam Ring Centre, a crucial junction on the highway, prompting intensified traffic management efforts by the NTR District Police Commissionerate.
Traffic Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shaikh Shareen Begum personally reviewed the traffic conditions at the Ibrahimpatnam Ring Centre and supervised corrective measures. She stated that over one lakh vehicles are estimated to have travelled from Hyderabad towards Vijayawada and surrounding districts ahead of Sankranti, with more than 50,000 of those vehicles already on their return journey towards Hyderabad.
Explaining challenges on the ground, the DCP said that although traffic movement at Ibrahimpatnam is designed for four lanes, the presence of bridges has reduced the flow to only two lanes, resulting in temporary congestion at the Ring Centre. However, she assured that the traffic police had taken all essential steps to minimise inconvenience to motorists and ensure smooth and safe movement of vehicles. Shareen Begum said traffic personnel have been deployed in full strength for round-the-clock operations. Continuous monitoring, manual regulation, and coordinated field-level action helped prevent major traffic snarls despite the heavy inflow, she said. She appreciated motorists for following traffic advisories and cooperating with the police during peak hours. In view of the continued heavy traffic movement on the Vijayawada–Hyderabad National Highway, the DCP appealed to heavy vehicle drivers to plan their journeys in such a way that they cross Vijayawada only during non-peak hours. Drivers returning towards Hyderabad have been advised to strictly maintain speed limits and follow the instructions issued by traffic police personnel on duty. Further, she stressed the importance of extending full cooperation to ensure smooth regulation of traffic and to avoid congestion. She said that safe and hassle-free travel is possible only with the active cooperation of motorists and the general public. NTR District Police Commissioner SV Rajashekar Babu lauded the Commissionerate of Traffic Police for their efficient handling of the massive vehicular rush. He stated that under the personal supervision of the Traffic DCP, a comprehensive strategy was implemented, including advance planning, effective field coordination, and the use of real-time data through the ASTraM (Actionable Intelligence for Sustainable Traffic Management) application, drone-based live traffic assessment, and constant monitoring.
Due to these proactive measures, despite the extraordinary traffic volume on Saturday, traffic towards Hyderabad remained smooth without major congestion. The traffic police once again expressed their gratitude to all vehicle users for their cooperation in maintaining order on one of the busiest national highways in the region.
