Sankranti traffic jam on NH-65: 50K vehicles cross toll plaza
Heading back from Sankranti celebrations in Andhra Pradesh?
You weren't alone—NH-65 between Hyderabad and Vijayawada was packed, with over 50,000 vehicles crossing the Panthangi toll toward Vijayawada in just one day.
The heavy rush led to long queues at key spots like Ibrahimpatnam.
To keep things moving, police used drones to monitor traffic, all while flyover construction added to the chaos at Chityal and Peddakaparthi.
How authorities handled the jam
To help clear things up, heavy vehicles got special diversion routes: if you were coming from Vijayawada or Guntur, you had to take longer detours through places like Miryalaguda and Chintapally;
Macherla traffic had its own route via Nagarjunasagar;
Vehicles to Hyderabad from Nalgonda were diverted via Marriguda bypass, Munugodu, Narayanapur and Choutuppal.
Even more detours popped up near Bhongir due to flyover construction at Chityal.
Why this matters for travelers
If you're planning a trip back toward Hyderabad after any big festival, knowing about these diversions—and that police are using tech like drones—can save you hours stuck in a jam.
It's a good reminder to check your route before hitting the highway!