Traffic congestion intensified on the Vijayawada–Hyderabad National Highway near the Pantangi toll plaza in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district on Wednesday as thousands of commuters returned to Hyderabad and other cities after the Dasara holidays.
The surge was reported along the Choutuppal stretch of NH-65, with motorists travelling back from towns and villages across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Families returning with children and office-goers heading back to work contributed to long queues at the toll booths, particularly during the morning and afternoon peak periods.
The rush also came a day before schools and colleges are scheduled to reopen on October 22 following the festive break. The return journey has therefore brought together holiday traffic, student travel and regular work-related movement on one of the key road links between Hyderabad and Vijayawada.
Pantangi toll plaza management activated additional lanes and deployed extra personnel to speed up FASTag scanning and toll collection. Local police and traffic personnel were also positioned at important intersections along the highway to manage vehicle movement, prevent gridlocks and reduce the risk of rash driving during the heavy traffic period.
According to the report, commuters faced minor delays, but traffic movement remained largely steady. Officials said there were no major accidents or prolonged disruptions during the rush. The response focused on clearing queues at the toll plaza and maintaining movement through the Choutuppal section.
The congestion highlights the operational pressure placed on highway toll facilities when holiday travel is concentrated into a narrow return window. At Pantangi, additional lanes and personnel were used to increase processing capacity as vehicle volumes rose, while traffic police managed movement beyond the toll booths and at nearby intersections.
Authorities expected traffic volumes on the Vijayawada–Hyderabad highway to remain high through Wednesday evening as the post-Dasara return journey continued. Commuters using the route were advised, through the on-ground traffic management measures, to expect slower movement around the toll plaza and adjoining intersections until the rush eased.
