Tamil Nadu deploys 15,659 bus trips for Diwali, 14,963 for puja festival rush
Synopsis
Tamil Nadu is deploying over 15,000 extra bus trips for Diwali and puja holidays, setting up temporary terminals at Maraimalai Nagar and Kilambakkam to handle the Chennai exodus. With Southern Railway also being pressed for additional trains and free shuttle services announced, this is one of the most coordinated festival transport rollouts the state has announced in recent years.
Key Takeaways
Tamil Nadu will run 14,963 total trips (including 6,199 special services ) during the puja holidays from 15 to 18 October 2026 .
For Diwali (5-7 November) , a total of 15,659 trips will be operated, with 9,086 being special services.
Temporary bus stands will be set up at Maraimalai Nagar and near Climate Park, Kilambakkam to distribute passenger load.
Southern Railway has been requested to run additional unreserved trains alongside extra suburban services to Kilambakkam .
Free shuttle services will operate between Kilambakkam and Madhavaram , as announced by MTC Managing Director Jayaseelan .
A meeting with omnibus operators is planned to regulate fares and prevent price gouging during the festival rush.
Tamil Nadu's transport department will operate 6,199 special bus services from Chennai during the puja holidays and 9,086 additional trips for Diwali, Transport Minister A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban announced on 14 October 2026. The services are designed to manage the seasonal surge in intercity passenger movement as residents travel from Chennai to their hometowns for the back-to-back festival period.
Service Schedule and Trip Totals
The puja special services will run from 15 to 18 October, while the additional Diwali services will operate from 5 to 7 November. With 2,191 buses running daily from Chennai, the department will provide 8,764 regular trips during the four-day puja period. Combined with the special services, the total trip count reaches 14,963.
For Diwali, 6,573 regular trips are planned over three days. The addition of 9,086 special services brings that total to 15,659 trips — giving passengers significantly expanded capacity heading out of the city.
Temporary Terminals at Maraimalai Nagar and Kilambakkam
To handle the overflow, temporary bus stands will be set up at Maraimalai Nagar and on vacant land near Climate Park in Kilambakkam. Buses bound for Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, and Nagapattinam will depart from Maraimalai Nagar. Services headed to Puducherry, Erode, Dindigul, and Tiruvannamalai will operate from the temporary stand near Kilambakkam.
Buses serving the southern districts will continue to depart from the Kilambakkam bus terminus, while operations at Koyambedu and Madhavaram remain unchanged, the minister confirmed.
Rail Support and Shuttle Services
Southern Railway has been requested to run additional unreserved trains to other cities to support the increased passenger movement. The department has also sought additional suburban train services to help travellers reach Kilambakkam and connect with onward bus departures.
MTC Managing Director Jayaseelan announced that free shuttle services will operate between Kilambakkam and the temporary bus stand at Madhavaram, easing last-mile connectivity for passengers navigating the multi-terminal arrangement.
Fare Regulation and Return Services
Minister Parthiban said a meeting would be held with omnibus operators to regulate fares and streamline private services during the festival season — a period when demand spikes sharply and price gouging by private operators has historically been a concern. The department will also make arrangements for passengers returning to Chennai after the holidays, ensuring two-way capacity is addressed across both festival windows.
Point of View
000 trips for Diwali alone — reflects the chronic inadequacy of Chennai's permanent terminal infrastructure during festival seasons. The creation of two temporary bus stands is a workaround, not a solution; Kilambakkam has been undercapacity since it was conceived as a Koyambedu replacement. The request to Southern Railway for additional unreserved trains signals that road capacity alone cannot absorb the city's festival exodus, and the free shuttle announcement, while welcome, places the coordination burden on MTC rather than on a unified ticketing or routing system. The fare regulation meeting with omnibus operators is the most consequential commitment here — if private operators are not brought to heel, the state's bus additions will merely shift demand rather than reduce the cost burden on passengers.
NationPress
14 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many special bus trips has Tamil Nadu announced for Diwali 2026?
Tamil Nadu's transport department has announced 9,086 special bus services for Diwali, operating from 5 to 7 November 2026 . Combined with 6,573 regular trips , the total Diwali trip count reaches 15,659 .
Where are the temporary bus stands being set up in Chennai?
Temporary bus stands will be set up at Maraimalai Nagar and on vacant land near Climate Park in Kilambakkam . Maraimalai Nagar will serve routes to Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, and Nagapattinam, while the Kilambakkam facility will handle buses to Puducherry, Erode, Dindigul, and Tiruvannamalai.
When do the puja holiday special bus services run from Chennai?
The puja special services will operate from 15 to 18 October 2026 , with a total of 14,963 trips planned, including 6,199 special services on top of regular operations.
Will there be free shuttle services during the festival period?
Yes. MTC Managing Director Jayaseelan announced free shuttle services between Kilambakkam and the temporary bus stand at Madhavaram to help passengers connect across the dispersed terminal network.
What steps are being taken to control bus fares during the festival rush?
Transport Minister A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban said a meeting would be held with omnibus operators to regulate fares and streamline services. The discussions aim to prevent price spikes during the high-demand festival travel window.
