Pongal Celebrations: 640,000 Travelers Depart Chennai in Special Buses Over Three Days

Chennai, Jan 13 (NationPress) Officials from the Tamil Nadu Transport Department disclosed that nearly 640,000 individuals traveled from Chennai to numerous districts using state-run special buses over a span of three days in anticipation of the Pongal festivities.

On Sunday, January 12, over 217,000 passengers utilized the government-operated special buses that were arranged to handle the Pongal surge.

To cater to the heightened demand, the department scheduled 3,461 buses for January 13.

From January 10 to 13, a total of 14,104 buses were slated to operate from Chennai, which included 2,092 regular services and 5,736 special services.

Furthermore, 7,800 special buses were dispatched from other towns.

Following Pongal, from January 15 to 19, as many as 22,676 buses will be in operation, comprising 10,460 daily services and 5,290 special buses from Chennai, along with 6,926 buses.

The government has declared January 17 as a public holiday and aligned two weekends with the official Pongal holidays from January 13 to 16, creating a festive season that lasts for nine days.

This year, over 1.3 million people are expected to depart from Chennai during this time. To accommodate this enormous demand, around 14,100 government buses, 370 trains, 8,000 private buses, and numerous personal vehicles are being utilized.

However, fares have risen sharply across all transportation modes. For instance, a one-way journey from Chennai to Coimbatore on an air-conditioned private sleeper bus can cost as much as Rs 5,000 during peak travel days.

In many instances, private operators are charging full fares, even for passengers disembarking partway.

A private bus headed to Thiruvananthapuram charges Rs 3,000 per passenger, regardless of whether they get down in Salem or continue to the final stop.

R. Perumal, a representative from the Bus Owners Association, justified the high fares, remarking, “People cannot expect weekday rates of Rs 600 per head during peak festive seasons. The government should regulate fares to ensure fairness.”

Conversely, K. Radhakrishnan, an employee traveling with his family to Salem, criticized the operators for overcharging.

“I had to pay Rs 3,000 per head for a bus to Kerala, even though we’re getting off at Salem,” he stated.

The Tamil Nadu Transport Department has faced backlash for conducting limited inspections and taking minimal action against complaints of price gouging.

Special services cater to destinations such as Puducherry, Cuddalore, Tiruchy, Madurai, and Salem.

Authorities have advised travelers using personal vehicles to steer clear of congested routes like Tambaram and Perungalathur. Alternative pathways via Tirupporur, Chengalpattu, and Vandalur have been suggested. Extra police personnel have been stationed at toll plazas to facilitate smoother traffic flow.

aal/rad