Chennai: With just a day left for Deepavali, people from Chennai have already started leaving for their native places to celebrate the festival with their relatives and friends.
Southern Railway has announced special trains. All trains are brimming with heavy rush of reserved and unreserved passengers. The department has also rolled out 19-coach unreserved special train from Chennai to Kochuveli.
According to the data released by State Transport department, a total of 1,37,113 passengers from Chennai travelled in 2,963 buses that includes special buses whose services started Thursday.
State Transport Minister M R Vijayabaskar inaugurated the special reservation bus counters for Deepavali at Puratchi Thalivar Dr MGR Bus Terminus, Koyambedu.
According to an official press release, the special buses are being operated from Puratchi Thalavar Dr MGR bus stand CMBT, Madhavaram new bus stand, K K Nagar MTC bus stand, Arignar Anna bus stand, Tambaram-Sanatorium (MEPZ) and Tambaram Railway Station bus stand, Poonamallee Municipal bus stand, Poonamallee.
Altogether 10,940 special buses are being operated for three days across Tamilnadu.
Further, for the ease of public for reservation, special reservation counters have been opened in CMBT Bus Stand-26, MEPZ (Tambaram Sanitorium)-2 special reservation counters and one reservation counter at Poonamallee Bus Stand and one special counter at Madhvaram Bus Stand. Totally, 30 special reservation counters are functioning, the releases said.
To avoid traffic congestion during the festival, the authorities have made changes in out-station going buses. To facilitate the arrangements, the department is also operating feeder services to the temporary boarding points – Urapakkam, Madhavaram New bus stand, K K Nagar MTC bus stand, Arignar Anna bus stand, Tambaram Sanatorium (MEPZ), Tambaram Railway Station bus stand and Poonamallee bus stand.
Reservation buses from CMBT, Koyambedu are plying via Maduravoyal, Poonamallee, Nazarathpet, Outer Ring Road, Vandalur instead of Tambaram, Perungalathur to reach temporary bus stand at Urapakkam. The reserved passengers with boarding point at Tambaram and Perungalathur should board at Urapakkam temporary bus stop.
All Tamilnadu and APSRTC buses to Andhra Pradesh via Redhills depart from the Madhavaram New bus stand. Similarly, all buses to Puducherry, Cuddalore and Chidambaram via ECR will depart from K K Nagar MTC bus stand.
Buses bound for Kumbakonam and Thanjavur via Tindivanam, will depart from Arignar Anna bus stand, Tambaram-Sanatorium (MEPZ).
Similarly, all buses bound for Thiruvannamalai via Tindivanam and Madurandhagam, Polur, Chetpet, Vandavasi and Gingee and all buses for Panruti, Neyveli, Vadalur, Chidambaram, Kaattumannar Koil and buses bound for Puducherry, Cuddalore, Chidambaram via Tindivanam will depart from Tambaram Railway Station bus stand.
Buses bound to Kancheepuram, Arcot, Arani, Vellore, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Tirupathur, Hosur, Chithor and Thirupathi via Tiruttani will depart from Poonamallee bus stand.
Operation of buses to various places other than mentioned above will be operated from CMBT, Koyambedu as usual.
To avoid traffic congestion, cars and other light vehicle travellers are requested to avoid the route via Tambaram, Perungalathur by taking diversion via Tirukazhukundam- Chengalpattu / Sriperumbudur-Chengalpattu.