News

The Telangana government on Saturday decided to waive toll tax for commuters on national highways, as thousands of families living in Hyderabad headed to their native places in both the Telugu states for Sankranti. According to an official release, Chief Secretary SK Joshi issued instructions to waive off the toll gates charges to the commuters on national highways to and fro Hyderabad on January 13 and 16, a day before and a day after the three-day festival.

The move will ease long traffic snarls seen at the toll gates on Hyderabad-Vijayawada, Hyderabad-Warangal and other highways since Friday night and will provide relief to many families travelling to their native towns and villages in Telangana and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

Hundreds of four-wheelers were waiting at the toll gates for their turn, slowing down the movement of vehicles on the highways.

South Central Railway and Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) were operating special trains and buses respectively between Hyderabad and other destinations to clear the Sankranti rush.

Sankranti is a major harvest festival of Telugu people. Thousands employed in Hyderabad head to their homes in towns and villages.