Khairatabad Bada Ganesh Rush: What Hyderabad Commuters Need to Know

HYDERABAD: Heavy traffic congestion hit roads around Khairatabad Bada Ganesh in Hyderabad on Sunday as thousands of devotees gathered for darshan. Several roads leading to the pandal witnessed slow-moving traffic from the morning. The Khairatabad Metro station and nearby roads also saw a heavy footfall of devotees. The 69-foot-tall Khairatabad Bada Ganesh idol, themed Panchamukha [...]<strong>HYDERABAD:</strong> Heavy traffic congestion hit roads around Khairatabad Bada Ganesh in Hyderabad on Sunday as thousands of devotees gathered for darshan. Several roads leading to the pandal witnessed slow-moving traffic from the morning. The Khairatabad Metro station and nearby roads also saw a heavy footfall of devotees. The 69-foot-tall <a href="https://x.com/HYDTP/status/2101647117542412293/photo/1">Khairatabad</a> Bada Ganesh idol, themed Panchamukha Sankatahara Maha Ganapathi, has drawn devotees from Hyderabad and neighbouring districts. Around two lakh devotees were expected to visit the pandal on Sunday, according to a Khairatabad Ganesh Utsav Committee member quoted by Telangana Today. Hyderabad Traffic Police have imposed diversions around the pandal from September 12 to 24. The restrictions remain in force from around 11 am until late at night, depending on the crowd. Traffic police have planned diversions at several key points. These include Rajeev Gandhi Statue, Rajdoot Lane, Mint Compound, Necklace Rotary and Khairatabad Post Office. Authorities have also arranged parking at Race Road, NTR Ghat, HMDA parking near IMAX, the open space opposite IMAX and Vishveshwaraiah Bhavan. Police have urged commuters to avoid congested roads and take alternate routes wherever possible. Motorists have also been asked to follow instructions from traffic personnel. The heavy rush comes ahead of the Ganesh immersion at Hussain Sagar on September 25. Authorities are preparing to complete the immersion process in a single day. Officials have also planned upgraded platforms and additional cranes at key Hussain Sagar immersion points to manage the large number of idols.