Trifecta of Bonalu, Muharram and Jagannath Rath Yatra cause traffic disruptions across Hyderabad

Traffic movement across Hyderabad was partially disrupted on Friday as the city witnessed religious gatherings and processions related to Bonalu, the first day of Muharram, and the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra. Several key routes experienced slowdown through the day, particularly in the North and Central zones.

Around noon, the Hyderabad Traffic Police, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), alerted commuters stating, “Due to heavy flow of devotees to ISKCON Temple near Sangeet X Roads, movement of vehicles are slow from Parade Ground, SBI X Roads, YMCA Sec-bad, North Zone, St John’s Rotary towards Sangeet X Roads.”

Congestion in the area continued through the afternoon as devotees made their way to the temple.

The Ratha Yatra procession, organised by ISKCON Abids, began from NTR Stadium near Indira Park and moved towards the Exhibition Grounds, passing through busy stretches of the central city. Traffic diversions were enforced in phases as the chariot procession advanced. While no major bottlenecks were reported, traffic was halted briefly at several points, including parts of Himayatnagar and MJ Market.

In addition to the Rath Yatra, Muharram observances and Bonalu-related gatherings drew crowds in parts of the old city and Karwan, contributing to the slowdown in pockets of the South Zone. Traffic personnel were deployed across sensitive points to manage vehicle flow and reroute wherever required.

Commuters navigating affected areas reported delays. “I was heading from Parade Ground to Chilkalguda around 11.30 a.m., but it took me nearly 45 minutes due to the jam near YMCA,” said Karthik Reddy, a tech employee. Another commuter, Farheen Ahmed, who was travelling from St Johns Rotary to Tarnaka, said, “The traffic moved painfully slow, especially around Sangeet X Roads. It was crowded and confusing with people trying to find alternate routes.”

Officials confirmed that the overall situation remained under control and urged people to plan ahead and cooperate with traffic staff as similar restrictions may continue over the weekend in connection with religious events.