Tamil Nadu announces special bus services for festival rush

The Tamil Nadu government has announced a significant increase in public transport services to accommodate the upcoming festival rush. For the four-day Puja holiday period from October 15 to 18, the transport department will operate 6,199 special bus services from Chennai, contributing to a total of 14,963 trips across the state when combined with regular services.

To manage the high passenger volume, 14 booking centers have been established in Chennai, including 10 in Kilambakkam, two at the Koyambedu bus station, and two at a temporary terminal in Maraimalai Nagar. Temporary bus stands will also be set up near Climate Park in Kilambakkam and at Maraimalai Nagar to facilitate departures for specific routes.

Looking ahead to Diwali, the department plans to add 9,086 special services between November 5 and 7, bringing the total trips to 15,659. Transport Minister A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban stated that meetings will be held with omnibus operators to regulate fares and streamline services. Additionally, Southern Railway has been requested to run extra unreserved trains to support the increased demand.