Chennai will get 30,622 bus services for Ayudha Puja and Diwali as Tamil Nadu’s transport department prepares for a major seasonal movement of passengers to towns and cities across the state. The arrangements include additional services from Chennai, return buses after the festivals, temporary terminals, control rooms and measures to manage congestion on key routes.
For Ayudha Puja, 14,963 buses will operate from Chennai between October 15 and 18, including 6,199 special buses, Transport Minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban said on Tuesday. For Diwali, 15,659 services will run between November 5 and 7, including 9,086 special buses.
The department has also planned additional services for passengers returning to Chennai. A total of 9,191 buses will operate on October 20 and 21 after Ayudha Puja, while 11,197 buses will run on November 9 and 10 after Diwali. The return arrangements are intended to spread passenger demand beyond the festival departure period and support workers, students and families travelling back to the city.
Kilambakkam’s Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus will handle services to Puducherry, Cuddalore, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore and other destinations in southern and western Tamil Nadu. Services to Vellore, Kancheepuram, Bengaluru and destinations along the East Coast Road will operate from Koyambedu.
Temporary terminals at Kilambakkam and Maraimalai Nagar will handle services to selected destinations, including Tiruvannamalai and the delta districts. Madhavaram will cater to services towards Andhra Pradesh. The distribution of routes across multiple terminals is part of the department’s plan to prevent the concentration of festival traffic at a single transport hub.
Fourteen reservation counters will operate at Kilambakkam, Koyambedu and Maraimalai Nagar. Passengers will also be able to reserve tickets through the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation website and mobile application. Round-the-clock control rooms, information centres and electronic display boards will be provided at the terminals.
Feeder buses will operate between Koyambedu and Kilambakkam to help passengers transfer between the city’s major bus hubs. The arrangement is significant because the two terminals serve different route networks, requiring passengers to navigate across the metropolitan area when services are split between them.
The transport department has advised motorists to avoid Tambaram and Perungalathur during the peak movement periods because of the expected traffic load on GST Road. The minister suggested alternative routes through the Old Mahabalipuram Road, Kelambakkam and Thiruporur, or the Vandalur Outer Ring Road.
Private omnibus operators have been instructed not to collect excess fares during the festive season. The minister said strict action would be taken against operators violating the direction. Passengers can report complaints about excess fares through the toll-free number 1800 425 6151 or WhatsApp at 93848 08333.
