Diwali rush: Over 15 lakh passengers leave Chennai by buses, trains in three days
Chennai: More than 15 lakh passengers travelled out of Chennai between November 5 and 7 to celebrate Diwali in their hometowns, triggering a massive rush at bus terminals and railway stations across the city.
Government and private buses transported nearly seven lakh passengers during the three days, while trains carried several lakh more. Thousands of people also travelled in private cars and other vehicles.
The exodus gathered momentum on Friday and continued through Saturday, with major transport hubs witnessing heavy crowds as families rushed to reach their destinations ahead of the festival.
Government buses alone transported 5.15 lakh passengers over three days. On Saturday, 3,319 buses operated until 8 p.m., carrying approximately 1.35 lakh passengers. The number of passengers using government services stood at 1.4 lakh on Thursday and increased sharply to 2.39 lakh on Friday.
Transport authorities had planned 15,659 services to manage the festive rush. The arrangements included 5,743 regular buses, 4,405 special government services and 1,013 private contract buses.
Despite the additional services, passengers at the Kilambakkam bus terminus faced considerable inconvenience because of delays and overcrowding. Several buses reportedly arrived nearly two hours behind schedule, raising concerns among passengers travelling to distant destinations, including southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
While seating arrangements and passenger facilities received appreciation, delays in departures and the heavy rush created uncertainty over arrival times.
Private bus operators also witnessed substantial demand, operating more than 4,717 services and transporting over 1.8 lakh passengers during the three days. Private buses carried approximately 56,800 passengers on Thursday, 75,900 on Friday and 56,000 on Saturday.
The railway network handled another major share of the festive movement. Southern Railway operated 132 special trains during the Diwali period, with around three lakh passengers travelling daily from Chennai Central, Egmore and Tambaram stations.
Additional coaches were attached to 22 mail and express trains, while eight unreserved MEMU services were introduced to accommodate passengers.
Security arrangements were strengthened at railway stations amid heavy movement of travellers. The Railway Protection Force apprehended five people for carrying firecrackers at Chennai Central and Egmore stations on November 6.
The festive rush highlighted the enormous demand for transport services during Diwali, despite extensive arrangements by railway and road transport authorities.