Every Sankranti Festival season in January, Hyderabad undergoes a remarkable transformation as the city’s population thins out dramatically, an annual rhythm dictated by tradition. But this year, the exodus is on an unprecedented scale—an estimated 15 to 20 Lakh families, predominantly with ancestral ties to Andhra Pradesh and districts throughout Telangana, are leaving the city behind to celebrate Sankranti in their hometowns. The city feels the impact everywhere: bus stations are overflowing beyond capacity, highways are turned into endless streams of vehicles, and the usual buzz of neighbourhoods fades into an uncanny quiet.

Traffic Projections: NH-65 under Pressure

The mass migration reaches its fever pitch between January 9 and 13. All attention inevitably focuses on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada National Highway (NH-65), the state’s primary artery and the undisputed epicenter of festive movement. Anyone who’s experienced travel on that road during Sankranti knows the ordeal—a journey that should take a few hours can become a marathon, with toll plazas becoming bottlenecks where progress slows to a crawl and tempers are tested. A four-hour wait at a single toll booth isn’t unheard of. But for 2026, Telangana officials are determined to turn the tide. They’ve launched what they’re calling a “Zero-Congestion” plan, a bold initiative designed to finally overcome the highway’s notorious gridlock.

Delving into the numbers, the scale of the migration becomes even clearer. On ordinary days, NH-65 supports a flow of 25,000 to 30,000 vehicles. Yet, during Sankranti, that figure explodes exponentially—over 100,000 vehicles surge down the highway in a single 24-hour period. The Panthangi toll plaza, which typically processes about 900 vehicles an hour, is suddenly tasked with more than 3,000 vehicles every hour at the peak of the rush. Without intervention, these numbers would mean endless lines and frustration, with some travelers waiting as long as four hours to get through a single checkpoint.

Strategic Measures: What’s New in 2026?

So what sets this year apart from previous Sankrantis. In a significant first, State Government and the Roads & Buildings Ministry have managed to convince the National Highways Authority of India to implement a revolutionary measure: toll collection on NH-65 will be suspended from January 9 to 18. Motorists can simply drive through without stopping, potentially clearing one of the biggest roadblocks in holiday travel. To further ensure a smooth journey, all major roadworks, lane closures, and heavy machinery projects along the highway have been put on hold until the festival is over—nothing will be allowed to disrupt the flow of traffic.

Rerouting strategies have also been refined. Vehicles bound for Guntur will take a detour through Narketpally, Nalgonda, Miryalaguda, and Piduguralla, bypassing the most congested segments. Meanwhile, those headed towards Vizag and Rajahmundry will avoid the usual Vijayawada choke points, instead following a route through Nakrekal, Arvapally, and Khammam. To optimize traffic management, police in Suryapet and Nalgonda are, for the first time, deploying high-definition drones. These aerial eyes will monitor real-time traffic conditions, quickly identify accidents or breakdowns, and enable rapid deployment of response teams to keep delays to a minimum.

Public Transport: A Mammoth Effort

Of course, not everyone will be driving their own vehicles to reach home. The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) and Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) are mobilizing their entire fleets in a massive logistical effort, scheduling over 14,800 special buses to accommodate the surge. TGSRTC is running 6,431 extra buses from major transit hubs like MGBS, JBS, LB Nagar, and Uppal, while APSRTC is launching 8,432 special services, particularly targeting routes between Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Vizag, and Rayalaseema. TGSRTC’s special buses come with a premium, costing 50% more than regular fares, but APSRTC is opting to keep prices at standard rates—a move their chairman says is meant to ease the financial strain on middle-class families making the pilgrimage home.

Police Advisory for Commuters

Hyderabad’s law enforcement is taking a proactive stance as well. Police in Cyberabad and Rachakonda have identified 24 accident-prone hotspots along the highway, issuing straightforward advice to travelers: start your journey early, as the most severe congestion typically strikes between 6 PM and 11 PM. They warn against lingering at Narketpally—where roadside food stalls can transform the junction into a secondary traffic jam. They also urge motorists to thoroughly check their vehicles before departure. To support these efforts, patrol cars and cranes are stationed every 10 kilometers along the route, ready to respond swiftly to any breakdowns or accidents.

Sankranti has always been the city’s largest collective migration, a time when Hyderabad empties out as families reconnect with their roots. Yet, this year there’s an unmistakable sense of discipline and planning amid the usual chaos. With unprecedented measures in place, from toll-free highways and strategic reroutes to drone surveillance and expanded bus fleets, officials hope to bring much-needed order to one of the year’s most chaotic travel periods. Whether these ambitious strategies will endure the real-world test of festival traffic remains to be seen, but for now, both authorities and citizens are holding out hope that this Sankranti will mark a turning point in how the city manages its great annual migration.