Ganesh Chaturthi rush grips Hyderabad markets, traffic slows

Hyderabad markets witnessed heavy crowds ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi, with residents buying idols, flowers, fruits and decorative items. Rythu Bazars and major shopping areas saw a surge in customers, while vehicles transporting idols caused traffic congestion across several key city routes.

Hyderabad: Hyderabad has been swept into a vibrant Ganesh Chaturthi festive spirit, with local markets witnessing massive, bustling crowds.

Major Rythu Bazars at Erragadda, Mehdipatnam, KPHB, and Kothapet witnessed heavy crowds from the early hours of Sunday. Heavy pedestrian movement led to significant traffic congestion across the city, as Ganesh idols flooded the area and buyers kept the markets busy.

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Vendors occupied local pavements and bus stops, selling Ganesh idols from pushcarts. The idols came in various sizes, ranging from 9 inches to 10 feet tall.

Hundreds of vendors lined major roads and colony lanes, Rythu Bazars, and open areas with large quantities of festival supplies. They stocked 21 traditional varieties of biodegradable leaves and materials, known as Pathra, for festival rituals.

Begum Bazaar, Abids, Ameerpet, Kukatpally, Miyapur, Secunderabad, and other parts of the city saw huge crowds at stationery shops and street vendors, with buyers purchasing decorative items for pandals.

A heavy rush was witnessed at the flower and fruit bazars and on main roads as consumers flooded the markets ahead of the upcoming festival. Consumers said flowers and fruit prices were skyrocketing to nearly double their usual rates.

Traffic came to a crawl on key city routes as trucks, lorries, and small goods vehicles transported Ganesh idols.