Over 18 lakh Chennaiites travel home for Diwali celebrations; city roads, terminals witness huge rush
Holiday crowds swept through Chennai as people headed home for Diwali next Monday. Thousands of city residents started their journeys back home as early as October 16, turning the weekend into one of the busiest travel periods in the city’s history.
Across bus stands, railway stations and highways, crowds flowed in huge waves. More than 6.15 million travellers rode Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) buses from Chennai in just three days. The state added 20,378 special buses to the regular fleet of 2,092, bringing a total of 2,834 extra buses each day to carry people to districts in the south and west.
Even with the extra services, stations like Koyambedu, Madhavaram and Tambaram stayed packed. Passengers waited hours for a seat. At Chennai Central, Egmore and Tambaram, every south‑bound train filled up. Southern‑district specials were booked fully a few days in advance, and many riders stood the entire trip.
Private cars joined the traffic jam on highways such as GST Road. Long lines of cars stretched from Tambaram to Chengalpattu, turning the stretch into a slow‑moving parade. Toll booths at Paranur, Singaperumal Koil and Perungalathur were gridlocked, with queues lasting over an hour and traffic lingering late into the night.
According to transport officials, about 18 lakh people have already left Chennai for Diwali celebrations. Roughly 9.5 lakh traveled by train, 6.15 lakh by government buses, two lakh by private buses and 1.5 lakh by private cars. With so many leaving the city, Saturday evening streets that usually buzz with life were eerily quiet, as families gathered across Tamil Nadu to mark the festival of lights.
Source: ianslive
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