More than 15 lakh people travelled out of the city via trains, government buses, and private vehicles between November 5 and 7.
More than 15 lakh passengers travelled from Chennai to their hometowns using trains, government buses, and private vehicles between November 5 and 7 for the Deepavali festival, according to The Times of India. This exodus included nearly seven lakh people using government and private buses, while thousands more used private vehicles.
The transport department planned 15,659 services over the three-day period. On Thursday, government buses carried 1.4 lakh passengers, while Friday saw 2.39 lakh people travelling by state buses. By Saturday evening, the three-day passenger count on government buses reached 5.15 lakh.
Southern Railway officials reported that around three lakh people left the city by train. To manage the surge, the railway operated 132 special trains providing 207 trips, alongside augmenting 22 mail and express trains with extra coaches.
At the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus in Kilambakkam, some passengers reported delays and difficulty finding seats. Passenger S Rajesh Kumar said buses were arriving at least two hours late, potentially delaying his arrival in Tenkasi until Diwali afternoon.
Transport Minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban inspected major bus termini on Friday to check for passenger difficulties. Responding to reports of unavailable buses, the minister stated that requests for services from Koyambedu to Hosur and Polur would be addressed with necessary arrangements.
