Chennai: Nearly 11,000 buses will be operated from Thursday onwards up to Saturday to enable people to go to their home towns from Deepavali. Buses will be operating from five points in the city.
The great exodus is expected to begin soon for the festival and Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar had held a series of meetings to chalk out the arrangements.
The outgoing buses from city leave from Dr. M.G.R Bus Terminus (CMBT), Madhavaram New bus stand, K.K Nagar MTC bus stand, Arignar Anna bus stand, Tambaram-Sanatorium (MEPZ), Tambaram Railway Station bus stand, and Poonamallee Municipal bus stand on Thurday, Friday and Saturday.
Special reservation counters will be operating at all the departure points while a special reservation counter will be inaugurated by the Transport Minister on Thursday at CMBT. Commuters travelling more than 300 km in special buses can reserve their tickets through the website www.tnstc.in
The transport department said operation of all Tamil Nadu and APSRTC buses to Andhra Pradesh via Red Hills will depart from the Madhavaram New bus stand. Buses to Puducherry, Cuddalore and Chidambaram via ECR will depart from K.K. Nagar MTC bus stand. Buses to Kumbakonam and Thanjavur via Tindivanam will depart from Arignar Anna bus stand, Tambaram Sanatorium.
Buses bound for Tiruvannamalai via Tindivanam and Madurantakam, Polur, Chetpet, Vandavasi and Gingee; buses to Panruti, Neyveli, Vadalur, Chidambaram, Kattumannarkoil; 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, Tirupattur, Hosur, Chittoor and Tirupati via Tiruttani will depart from Poonamallee bus stand.
The department also said buses from CMBT scheduled to other parts of the state via the GST road will go through Maduravoyal, Poonamallee, Nazarathpet, Outer Ring Road and Vandalur to reach the temporary bus-stand in Urapakkam, instead of through the Tambaram-Perungalathur stretch.
On account of Deepavali, the state government also announced a local holiday on October 28 (Monday) for all government offices and educational institutions in the state.
