Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday, 6 May directed Director General of Police C.V. Anand to ensure that the movement of the Chief Minister and other VIPs across the state does not inconvenience ordinary commuters. The directive follows a severe traffic snarl near Hyderabad's airport as Revanth Reddy was en route to Delhi, prompting him to take serious note of the disruption caused to the public.

What the Chief Minister Directed

Revanth Reddy reportedly expressed displeasure that commuters were made to wait for prolonged periods on roads to facilitate his convoy. He instructed the DGP to initiate action against officials responsible for lapses and stressed that vehicles coming from the opposite direction should not be unnecessarily stopped. According to a statement from the DGP's office, the Chief Minister emphasised that traffic regulation must be handled in a manner that minimises public inconvenience, and that strict action must follow against officials found negligent.

DGP Calls Emergency Video Conference

Acting swiftly on the Chief Minister's instructions, DGP C.V. Anand convened a video conference with all Sub-Inspector and above rank officers of Law & Order and Traffic Police across all commissionerates in the state. He noted that the Chief Minister's repeated concern underlines the gravity of the issue and called upon field officers to address it with the utmost seriousness.

Senior officers who participated in the conference included Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar, Cyberabad Police Commissioner M. Ramesh, Malkajgiri Police Commissioner B. Sumati, Future City Joint Commissioner Chandana Deepthi, and Railways & Road Safety IGP Ramesh Naidu, among others.

Key Instructions Issued to Field Officers

The DGP directed officers to regulate traffic in a streamlined manner during CM convoy movements — flowing vehicles around the convoy rather than bringing traffic to a complete halt. Officers were also told to prepare alternative routes in advance, particularly during peak traffic hours. Heightened vigilance was specifically called for in areas surrounding the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.

Notably, the DGP announced that a dedicated Traffic Bureau will soon be established under the leadership of an Additional DGP to strengthen traffic management across Telangana, with modalities currently being finalised. Illegal parking on the Outer Ring Road was flagged as a zero-tolerance issue.

Monsoon Preparedness Also on the Agenda

With the monsoon season approaching, the DGP directed officials to take proactive measures to prevent water stagnation and the resultant traffic congestion. Traffic officers were instructed to remain on the ground, take prompt decisions, and coordinate closely with Law & Order personnel, as well as ISW and CSW wings, to ensure effective traffic regulation across the city.

This is not the first time Telangana's administration has flagged VIP convoy disruptions as a public grievance — the directive signals a more structured attempt to institutionalise change through a dedicated traffic authority.