Hyderabad’s Tank Bund gridlocked for hours amid CM's candlelight march, solidarity protest

HYDERABAD

Following extensive traffic diversions for a candlelight rally led by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and a solidarity protest near the Telangana Thalli flyover, large parts of central Hyderabad witnessed severe traffic congestion on Saturday evening, leaving thousands of commuters stranded for hours.

By around 6.30 p.m., the Lower Tank Bund area had turned into a sea of stationary vehicles as traffic from multiple directions came to a standstill. Cars, buses, two-wheelers and autorickshaws remained gridlocked for over three hours before traffic movement gradually improved later in the night. However, congestion persisted in several stretches well beyond the peak hours.

CM in support

The primary reason for the traffic snarls was the Chief Minister’s candlelight march at People’s Plaza, which necessitated traffic diversions across the Necklace Road and Tank Bund stretch. The situation was further compounded by a solidarity gathering held at the old Ambedkar statue beneath the Telangana Thalli flyover, where several participants had parked their vehicles along the roadside, adding to the congestion.

“I had to participate in the protest, but looking at the traffic jam, I parked my vehicle near the Secretariat and walked till here. Even walking was difficult because there was hardly any space due to the heavy traffic,” said Amit, one of the participants at the solidarity gathering.

As congestion intensified, the Hyderabad Traffic Police issued a traffic advisory on ‘X’ at 7.36 p.m., stating, “Due to a scheduled VIP programme, heavy traffic congestion is being experienced around Necklace Road and Tank Bund. Commuters are requested to avoid these routes and use alternate roads to reach their destinations. We regret the inconvenience and request your cooperation.”

Police had also posted the traffic advisory for the VIP programme earlier in the day. Several commuters took to X to criticise the Hyderabad Traffic Police, arguing that advance intimation about the diversions would have enabled commuters to avoid the affected routes and plan alternate travel arrangements.