Almost 15,000 buses to ply from Chennai for 4 days from October 15

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu will operate 14,963 buses over four days for Ayudha Pooja (October 19) and 15,659 buses over three days for Deepavali (November 8) to facilitate travel to native places, Transport Minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban said on Tuesday (October 13).

For Ayudha Pooja, 8,764 buses will operate from Chennai, along with 6,199 special buses from October 15-18. For Deepavali, the State will operate 6,573 buses from Chennai and 9,086 special buses (Nov 5-7).

To manage the return rush after Ayudha Pooja, 9,191 buses, including 4,809 special services, will operate towards Chennai on Oct 20 and 21.

After Deepavali, 11,197 buses, including 6,815 special services, will operate towards Chennai on Nov 9 and 10.

Buses will operate from five designated terminals based on their destinations.

Services to Puducherry, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Tiruchy, Madurai, Thoothukudi, Sengottai, Tirunelveli, Salem and Coimbatore will operate from the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus at Kilambakkam.

Buses to Vandavasi, Polur and Tiruvannamalai will operate from a temporary terminal near the CMDA climate park at Kilambakkam.

Services to Kumbakonam, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam will operate from the temporary bus terminus at Maraimalai Nagar, which is being operated on a trial basis.

Buses to ECR, Kancheepuram, Vellore, Bengaluru and Tiruttani will depart from the Koyambedu bus terminus. Services to Andhra Pradesh via Ponneri and Uthukottai, along with regular services to Tiruchy, Salem, Kumbakonam and Tiruvannamalai, will operate from the Madhavaram bus terminus.

Fourteen advance booking counters will function at Kilambakkam, Koyambedu and Maraimalai Nagar, including 10 at Kilambakkam and two each at the other terminals. A 24-hour control room has been established at Kilambakkam to assist passengers.

Free connecting buses will operate between Kilambakkam and the temporary terminal at Maraimalai Nagar. Services between Koyambedu and Kilambakkam will run round the clock.

The government has also requested the railways to operate additional suburban trains and special trains to Coimbatore, southern districts and the Cauvery delta region.

Separately, the minister met omni bus operators and instructed them not to charge excess fares and to follow designated boarding points in Chennai.

He warned of stringent action against violations. The operators’ association said that it would take an appropriate decision on reducing fares, according to the press release.