Heavy rains caused worst-ever traffic jams that also during peak hours on Friday.

Almost all main roads were waterlogged and jammed for hours. With traffic remaining standstill even after 9 pm, Hyderabad police commissioner M. Mahendar Reddy ordered law and order cops to help out the traffic police.

Even power supply was affected in several areas due to heavy rains. Officials said “it was restored in a majority of areas by 9 pm.”

Deputy Commissioner of police (traffic) A.V. Ranganath appealed to the people not to come out unless it was an emergency. He said “If it not essential, do not come on to the roads for two to three hours as traffic is moving very slowly on all the roads.”

Due to the water logging, vehicles were stalled in the middle of the roads as water entered their engines, or moved to a side, only added to the traffic block. Instead of going down the storm water drains, water was seen spouting out of drainage chambers.

The roads resembled swimming pools for almost three hours. Poor road conditions all over the city tested the patience of motorists and Metro Rail works in some corridors added to the traffic problems.

Roads cutting through the areas of Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills were the worst affected, followed by the Khaira-tabad-Ameerpet-Kukat-pally road, Lakdikapul, Masab Tank, Tolichowki to Lakdikapul and Punjagutta. Road numbers 1 and 12 of Banjara Hills, KBR Park rotary, Jubilee Hills check post and Road No. 36 of Jubilee Hills were also affected.

Almost the entire IT hub of Kondapur, Hitec City, Madhapur, the road from Gachibowli to IIIT and Miyapur were inundated too. Sardar Patel Road, Begumpet rail overbridge to Punjagutta via CM’s camp office and the stretch from the KCP junction to Masab Tank, MJ Market-Nampally, Koti to Nalgonda crossroads via Chaderghat, Nimboliadda to 6 No Junction were hit too. Traffic flow on the PVNR Expressway was also affected after a minor accident took place on Friday.

Also Read: Heavy Rainfall for Next 24 Hrs in AP & TS: IMD

BY M.DIVYA SRI