HYDERABAD — Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the Bhagya Laxmi temple near Charminar and his participation in a Maha Padayatra supporting the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls triggered severe traffic congestion across Old City and central Hyderabad on Monday, disrupting commuters for several hours.
The visit and associated programme arrangements imposed traffic diversions and restrictions at several vital junctions from afternoon through evening, affecting normal life in the Old City and central parts of Hyderabad. Traffic police deployed personnel at key junctions to regulate vehicular movement and guide commuters through alternative routes.
Congestion was particularly severe in and around Charminar, Pathergatti and Osmangunj, with additional impacts at MJ Market, Koti, Putlibowli, Nampally and Basheerbagh, where traffic moved slowly and formed long queues. Motorists travelling towards the city centre and the Old City were redirected to alternative routes.
Office-goers, traders and other commuters faced considerable inconvenience as traffic slowed significantly in busy commercial areas. The restrictions and diversions continued for several hours after the programmes concluded, with normal traffic movement resuming gradually.
The large-scale movement of vehicles and security arrangements for the high-profile visit added to traffic pressure across affected stretches, underscoring the logistical challenges of coordinating high-profile political visits in densely populated urban centres.
