16,540 special buses to meet Deepavali rush

The State-run Transport Corporations will operate 16,540 special buses from Chennai and other districts in order to facilitate the public to visit their native places to celebrate Deepavali on November 4.

After reviewing the preparation for operation of special buses with senior officials at the secretariat on Tuesday, Transport Minister RS Rajakannappan said 9,806 buses, including special buses, would be operated from the city to various parts of the State from November 1 to 3 from five bus termini in the city. “Along with daily normal services of 2,100 buses, we will operate 3,506 special buses from the city. From other parts of the State, we will operate 6,734 buses for the three days,” he said.

He added that the MTC would operate special link buses from Dr MGR bus terminus in Koyambedu to the four bus termini from where the special buses would be operated. The special buses would be operated according to segregated routes from the four termini, including Madhavaram (bound for Uthukottai via Red Hills, Ponneri and Gummidipoondi), KK Nagar (Puducherry via ECR), Tambaram MEPZ (Tindivanam, Vikravandi, Panruti and Kumbakonam), Poonamallee (Kancheepuram, Vellore, Arani, Arcot, Tirupattur and Dharmapuri), and Koyambedu (Nagapattinam, Velankanni, Tiruchy, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Salem and Coimbatore). Special buses would also be operated from the bus terminus located near Tambaram railway station.

Minister said that the buses leaving Koyambedu terminus would reach Urapakkam temporary bus terminus via Outer Ring Road to take passengers who had booked tickets from Tambaram and Perungalathur.

For the benefit of the passengers returning after Deepavali, the corporation would operate 17,719 buses for people to return to Chennai and other places for four days from November 5. In a press release, the Transport Department said it would operate 12,719 buses, including 4,319 special buses, for the benefit of commuters arriving from across the State to Chennai and 5,000 special buses between important destinations.

The Minister said passengers could make use of the online ticket booking facility. Also, a round-the-clock control room for passengers in Koyambedu and mobile numbers for complaint, 9445014450 and 9445014436, have been set up.

He warned of action against omnibus operators if passengers complain of high ticket fares.