City all set for polls on May 13

The MGBS and the JBS teemed with passengers heading to other districts in Telangana and also to various places in Andhra Pradesh. Most of the platforms were seen packed with passengers since early hours today.

Hyderabad: Scores of people from the city on Saturday started heading to their native places in districts across the State to cast their votes in the Lok Sabha polls on Monday.

Also, many were seen heading home to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh to cast their votes in the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls.

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The traffic on the highways, particularly on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway, went up sharply since Friday night. Inter-district and interstate buses came in for high demand and were operated with packed passengers on way to hometowns to cast their vote.

The MGBS and the JBS teemed with passengers heading to other districts in Telangana and also to various places in Andhra Pradesh. Most of the platforms were seen packed with passengers since early hours today.

For those heading to various destinations in Andhra Pradesh, the authorities have made arrangements with buses starting from LB Nagar, Kukatpally, Aramgarh and such outskirt points which, too, witnessed big crowds.

Cars, buses and other transport vehicles queued up at toll plazas on Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway as many families left for their native places in their cars or other vehicles. Voters from various towns and villages in Andhra Pradesh and also in Telangana started leaving on Friday evening for an extended weekend.

As the polling day is preceded by Saturday and Sunday, the techies in Hyderabad started leaving early to spend time with their family before casting their ballots. Railway and bus stations in Hyderabad, Secunderabad, and outskirts were packed with passengers heading to their destinations.

Election campaign ends, silence period in effect

The vigorous election campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls which stretched around two months came to an end at 6 pm on Saturday. As the silence period came into effect, the towering political banners and flags that teemed city streets were taken down.

Supporters who worked hard and went door-to-door to promote their candidates’ manifesto, receded to their party offices in the evening after filing their final appeal to the public.

Moreover, the mammoth task of distributing the voter slips and campaign material has also concluded. With just hours left for the poll day, authorities are keeping a keen watch to ensure no wrongdoing.

Along with strict restrictions against campaigning, police officials are deploying additional personnel to maintain law and order. With liquor stores in the city closing down in evening, and no sign of the loud election campaign vehicles, the atmosphere reflects the sense of anticipation and readiness for the upcoming polls on May 13.