Hyderabad traffic police have announced a detailed mobility plan for the Khairatabad Ganesh festival, with more than 30 lakh devotees expected to visit the idol during the 10-day celebration. The plan includes vehicle diversions, designated parking areas, restricted crossings, pedestrian routes, additional police deployment and extended Metro services.
Joint commissioner of police (Traffic) D Joel Davis, DCP Traffic Avinash Kumar, additional DCP A Ramulu, ACP Traffic S Mohan Kumar and other senior officials inspected the primary routes and access roads around Khairatabad on Saturday before issuing the advisory for devotees and motorists.
Vehicles will not be allowed to proceed towards Rajdoot Lane and Dwarka Hotel and will instead be diverted towards Telephone Bhavan. Traffic entering Mint Lane will be redirected towards the Secretariat. Vehicles passing IMAX Theatre will be diverted towards Necklace Road or the Khairatabad Flyover rather than towards Bada Ganesh.
Traffic moving from the Rajiv Gandhi Statue towards the railway crossing will be diverted towards Nirankari. The authorities have designated parking at IMAX Ground, HMDA Lake View Parking and the E-Racing Ground behind NTR Park on the NTR Marg side. Maktha parking on Necklace Road will be opened if the primary parking facilities are filled. Parking will also be available at Visweswarayya Bhavan, while only limited parking will be permitted near Telephone Bhavan.
Auto-rickshaws and app-based cab services, including Ola and Uber, will be required to use the open ground next to the MMTS station for passenger pick-up and drop-off. Stopping on the main carriageway between VV Statue, Khairatabad and Nirankari has been restricted because it contributes to congestion on the route.
The police have also issued instructions for pedestrians and Metro users. Passengers arriving by Metro have been advised to exit on the Bada Ganesh or pandal side instead of using the Seven Temples side. Separate entry and exit queues will be arranged, and pedestrians will not be allowed to walk along the main carriageway. Crossings will be permitted only at Khairatabad Junction, Shadan U-turn and Nirankari.
Around 500 police personnel, along with pushing teams, will be deployed at key junctions to manage vehicle movement and crowd pressure. Metro services will operate from 6am to 11pm, while special Telangana State Road Transport Corporation buses will also be run for visitors.
The traffic arrangements cover the expected concentration of visitors around Khairatabad and the connecting roads leading towards Necklace Road, NTR Marg, the Secretariat and the railway crossing. Darshan will conclude on September 23, and no darshan will be available on September 24, according to the advisory.
