Chennai’s Diwali exodus sent more than five lakh people out of the city by bus and train, overwhelming terminals and railway stations while traffic slowed sharply on major roads leading south and west on Friday.
State transport officials said around 2.9 lakh passengers travelled by government buses on Thursday and Friday, including 1.52 lakh who had left by 9pm on Friday. The transport department operated 3,362 buses on Friday, including 1,293 special services. On Thursday, 3,209 buses carried around 1.4 lakh passengers.
The department had announced 15,659 buses from Chennai between November 5 and 7, including 9,086 special services. Another 5,167 buses, including 2,479 special buses, were planned for Saturday, a transport official said. The additional services represented a 46% increase in average daily bus deployment over 2025.
Despite the expanded fleet, passengers at Kilambakkam reported difficulty finding seats, locating services and obtaining clear departure information. Families sat on the floor with their luggage, while passengers moved between bus bays and ticket counters. Some travellers who had booked tickets in advance arrived hours early but were still caught in the crowd.
“I came early in the afternoon and booked a ticket. My friends, however, who came in the evening, were told the buses were full. We want more buses, at least for the return journey,” said R Darshini, a student travelling to Virudhunagar. K Saradha, an Erode resident working in Chennai, said there were not enough sleeper buses for passengers travelling long distances.
Bus services also operated from Koyambedu, Madhavaram, the temporary terminus near Kilambakkam Climate Park and Maraimalai Nagar. Women passengers complained about the absence of police personnel to regulate crowds. The concentration of services across multiple terminals added to the challenge of finding the correct departure point, particularly for passengers travelling with families and luggage.
Railway stations faced a similar surge. Platforms at Chennai Central, Egmore and Tambaram were packed with passengers sitting or sleeping beside their luggage. Around three lakh people left Chennai by train, including about 1.5 lakh from Central station. Unreserved coaches were particularly crowded, with migrant workers queuing for trains to northern states.
Southern Railway said it was operating 132 Diwali special trains, providing 207 trips. Additional security personnel, help desks, queue arrangements and CCTV monitoring were among the measures announced. Railway Protection Force personnel repeatedly warned passengers against boarding moving trains or travelling on footboards.
The rush also spilled onto Chennai’s road network. Traffic moved slowly along Mount Poonamallee Road and Poonamallee High Road in the morning before congestion intensified on GST Road between Tambaram and Vandalur in the evening. Authorities deployed 840 police personnel and introduced diversions, but buses and private vehicles still moved at a slow pace.
“We started early hoping to avoid the Diwali rush, but traffic was heavy. It took much longer than usual just to get out of the city,” said Kabilan, who was travelling with his family. The transport department’s next major challenge will be managing the return journey, with additional special bus services planned for Saturday.
