Long queues at toll gates obstruct traffic flow

• The State government issues directions to stop the toll tax at the plazas to check blocking of roads between January 12 and 16
• The Hyderabad-Vijayawada National Highway witnesses huge rush of vehicles since late Friday night
• Passengers wait for more than one-hour to cross toll plaza

Vijayawada: As the Sankranti festival season gripped the Coastal Andhra districts, the Hyderabad-Vijayawada National Highway witnessed heavy rush of vehicles since late Friday night.

Thousands of vehicles were seen passing through the National Highway from Hyderabad to Vijayawada causing traffic congestion near toll plaza junctions.

The rush of vehicles continued till Saturday night and will continue for two more days.

On the other hand, the State government issued directions to stop the toll tax at the plazas to check blocking of roads between January 12 and 16 and save the precious time of passengers.

The National Highways Authority of India has to take a decision in this regard. Meanwhile, Transport Minister K Achchennaidu instructed the officials of transport department to take measures to stop collecting toll taxes at toll plazas.

He directed the officials to reduce the rush at the bus stations by operating more services to popular destinations. In fact, the RTC is operating 2,000 special buses this festival season to meet the rush of passengers.

Lakhs of Andhra settlers in Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts visit to their native places in the Sankranti festival season to celebrate the event grandly. Toll plazas at Chilakallu and Keesara in Krishna district are witnessing large number of vehicles.

Majority employees are reaching their native places due to five days holidays declared by the government for this Sankranti festival, said V Rami Reddy, an employee in a private company in Hyderabad.

He also said that he reached his native village Munnagi in Guntur district on Saturday evening. Similarly, a great number of Andhra people are reaching their native places along with their family members.

But they were struck in toll plazas, where they spent nearly one hour to cross the gates. It is expected the traffic may increase on Vijayawada-Hyderabad National Highway in the next four days.

In view of traffic problem, the officials are taking steps to stop toll charges. Vijayawada Deputy Transport Commissioner Meera Prasad said that the NHAI may issue orders on toll charges issue.

The managements of toll plazas collect charges usually on Saturday night also. One supervisor at Keesara toll plaza said that they did not get directions from the NHAI to stop collections at the plazas.