Hanumanthawaka Junction, one of Visakhapatnam’s busiest road intersections, has increasingly become a source of frustration for commuters, with severe traffic congestion during peak hours. Despite repeated proposals for flyover and an underpass, no progress has been made, leaving motorists to grapple with worsening traffic every passing year.

The proposals for a flyover not just at Hanumanthawaka Junction, but also at major junctions such as Maddilapalem and Car Shed Junction, have remained pending for years. The present and the previous governments have announced plans to ease congestion at these critical intersections, but the projects have yet to move beyond the planning stage.

The present government has put the flyover proposal on hold in view of the proposed Visakhapatnam Metro Rail project. However, the double-corridor Metro Rail project is still at the Detailed Project Report (DPR) stage, with little progress visible on the ground. Authorities had earlier indicated that construction of the Metro Rail project would commence around Dasara last year, but no further updates have been announced.

With both the flyover and Metro Rail projects kept delayed, commuters are bearing the brunt.

“During peak hours, particularly in the evenings, traffic queues extend from Hanumanthawaka Junction up to Venkojipalem, the next junction. Crossing the junction has become exhausting. No effective measures have been taken over the years,” said K. Manikanta, a resident of Bakkannapalem who works in a bank in the city.

Many commuters complain that the ambulances heading towards the Health City in Arilova, school buses, elderly commuters and office-goers frequently get caught in the traffic snarls. They also note that congestion worsens whenever traffic is manually regulated during VVIP movements, causing long delays.

“Years ago, NAD Junction was considered the city’s biggest traffic bottleneck. Today, Hanumanthawaka Junction has taken that place. With rapid urban development and increasing vehicle numbers, the authorities should implement a permanent solution instead of depending on delaying projects,” said K. Srinivasa Rao, from Yendada.

Traffic experts and police officials have also repeatedly stressed the need for measures at the junction, citing the continuous increase in vehicular movement and the importance of the corridor connecting four different routes which include residential areas, educational institutions and healthcare facilities.

Police officials also point to the annual Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Giri Pradakshina as an example of the junction’s limitations. Every year, traffic diversions during the event result in massive congestion across the city due to the absence of a flyover or a sub-way.

“Hanumanthawaka Junction urgently requires either a flyover or an underpass to ease congestion. Traffic volume is increasing every year, and without a long-term solution the situation will only worsen. Even during this year’s Giri Pradakshina, severe traffic congestion was witnessed because there was no alternative corridor for diverting vehicles,” a senior traffic police official said.

Published - August 05, 2026 08:06 pm IST