Chennai saw a sharp fall in everyday road activity during the Diwali travel period after an estimated 15 lakh residents left the city for their hometowns, according to a report by Dinamalar. State-run buses carried about 5.65 lakh passengers over three days, while others travelled by trains and private vehicles.
The report said additional buses were operated alongside regular services for passengers leaving Chennai ahead of the festival. Between November 5 and November 7, the state transport system reportedly ran regular services as well as special buses to meet the seasonal demand.
On November 5 and 6 alone, 8,296 buses were reported to have operated, carrying 3.79 lakh passengers. Across the three-day period, the number of state-bus passengers was reported at approximately 5.65 lakh.
The figures indicate that state transport services formed a major part of the annual movement of residents from Chennai to other parts of Tamil Nadu for Diwali. The total number of people leaving the city was higher because many travellers used trains and private vehicles, in addition to government buses.
The mass movement also changed traffic conditions across the city. Roads that are usually busy were reported to have fewer vehicles, with major routes experiencing less congestion during the period. The report described Chennai as unusually quiet after the departure of a large number of residents.
However, the supplied report contains an inconsistency in the number of buses operated. It refers to 13,108 buses over three days, while also stating that 6,573 regular buses and 9,086 special buses were operated, which would total 15,659 buses. The basis for these different counts is not explained in the report and requires clarification from the transport authorities.
The reported passenger numbers also cover only state-run buses. A consolidated official figure for all modes of transport, including trains and private vehicles, was not provided in the supplied material. Further confirmation is therefore needed on the total number of outbound travellers and the final bus-operation figures.
