Key Highlights:

  • 5,400 special buses over 5 days: Tamil Nadu's State Transport Undertakings will run additional buses from Thursday to Monday ahead of Vinayaka Chaturthi and the extended weekend.
  • Kilambakkam handles the bulk: The terminus alone will operate 3,520 outward special services between Thursday and Sunday, covering routes to Madurai, Coimbatore, Salem and more.
  • Koyambedu and Madhavaram also scaled up: Koyambedu will run 585 services and Madhavaram 330, connecting Chennai to destinations like Bengaluru, Vellore and Puducherry.
  • 765 buses for the return rush: Additional services are planned for Monday to manage passengers travelling back to Chennai and Bengaluru after the holiday.
  • Heavy advance bookings: Reservations already show 32,171 bookings for Friday alone, with numbers expected to climb closer to the festival.
  • Book early, officials advise: Passengers have been urged to reserve tickets via the TNSTC website or app to avoid last-minute overcrowding.

Chennai: Tamil Nadu's State Transport Undertakings will operate 5,400 special buses over five days to handle the expected surge in passenger traffic ahead of Vinayaka Chaturthi, auspicious wedding dates and the extended weekend.

The additional services will run from Thursday to Monday, connecting Chennai with major towns and cities across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states.

Kilambakkam To Run The Largest Share Of Services

The transport department has planned the largest share of services from Kilambakkam bus terminus, the principal departure point for south-bound routes. A total of 585 special buses will leave Kilambakkam on Thursday, followed by 1,255 on Friday, 1,030 on Saturday and 650 on Sunday. These buses will serve Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Kumbakonam, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, Thoothukudi, Coimbatore, Salem, Erode and Tirupur. Koyambedu will also handle additional services during the holiday period.

The transport corporations will operate 240 special buses from the terminus on Friday and Saturday, besides 105 services on Sunday. They will connect Chennai with Tiruvannamalai, Nagapattinam, Velankanni, Hosur and Bengaluru.

Services From Madhavaram And Other Cities

Corresponding services have been arranged from these destinations to Chennai. At Madhavaram terminus, 110 extra buses will be operated daily from Friday to Sunday. The services will cover Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Kumbakonam, Vellore, Hosur and Puducherry.

Outside Chennai, another 200 special buses will operate from Bengaluru, Tirupur, Erode and Coimbatore to different destinations. Authorities have also made arrangements for the return rush on Monday, when 765 additional buses will be deployed from various places to Chennai and Bengaluru according to passenger demand.

The deployment has been staggered to match the anticipated movement of travellers out of Chennai before the festival and their return after the holiday.

Kilambakkam alone will account for 3,520 outward special services between Thursday and Sunday, while Madhavaram will provide 330 and Koyambedu 585 during their respective operating periods overall.

Advance Bookings Point To Heavy Travel

Advance reservations indicate heavy travel during the period. According to the Managing Director of the State Express Transport Corporation, 8,666 passengers have booked tickets for Thursday and 32,171 for Friday. Bookings stand at 18,772 for Saturday, 11,177 for Sunday and 23,740 for Monday.

Officials expect the figures to rise as the festival approaches. Passengers undertaking long-distance journeys have been urged to reserve seats early to avoid overcrowding and last-minute inconvenience. Tickets can be booked through the official TNSTC website, www.tnstc.in, or the TNSTC mobile application.

(With inputs from IANS)