A two-minute silence was observed across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Monday on the 69th death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The silence was observed at 11 am in all government offices and educational institutions as a mark of respect to Mahatma Gandhi and others who laid down their lives for the nation.

Traffic was stopped at major intersections across Hyderabad and other towns in Telangana and in Vijayawada, Visakahapatnam and other towns in Andhra Pradesh to enable people to observe the two-minute silence.

Police appealed to citizens to ensure full solemnity during the two minutes.

The Governor of the two Telugu states, E S L Narasimhan, and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao paid floral tributes at Bapu Ghat in Hyderabad.

Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, several cabinet ministers of Telangana, top officials and leaders of political parties also paid tributes at Bapu Ghat, a memorial where Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were immersed at the confluence of rivers Musi and Esi.

The Governor, Chief Minister and other leaders attended an all-religion prayer meeting.

In Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and his cabinet colleagues paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi. Naidu led the state in observing a two-minute silence.