Diwali Rush: 4,067 Buses Operated - 3.5 Lakh People Travelled in Two Days
As people across Tamil Nadu head to their hometowns to celebrate Diwali, the state has witnessed a massive surge in public transport usage. According to the Tamil Nadu State Transport Department, around 3.5 lakh passengers travelled in government buses over the past two days (October 16 and 17).
With Diwali just around the corner, bus stands and railway stations across Chennai have been crowded with festive travellers. To manage the rush, the Transport Department operated 1,975 additional special buses apart from the 2,092 regular services, bringing the total to 4,067 buses.
In an official post on social media (X), the Transport Department stated:
“As of midnight on Friday (Oct 17), a total of 3,59,840 passengers have travelled in 6,920 bus trips operated between Thursday and Friday. In addition, 1,39,400 passengers have booked and travelled through online reservations so far.”
The special bus services, organized for the Diwali festival, have been instrumental in ensuring that passengers reach their destinations safely and on time despite the festive rush.
Transport officials have also confirmed that return services will be arranged after Diwali to bring people back to Chennai and other major cities.
With over 3.5 lakh people having already travelled and thousands more expected over the weekend, Tamil Nadu’s transport network is operating at full capacity to handle the festive crowd efficiently.
