Due to the surge in demand for bus and train tickets during Deepavali, the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) and State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) have decided to introduce and operate 10,500 more buses from Chennai during the festive season. According to The Hindu, a meeting chaired by the State Transport Minister SS Sivasankar and Principal Secretary K Gopal on October 10 decided to operate 10,518 buses from the city between October 21 and 23 and 9362 buses from various parts of Tamil Nadu to Chennai for those coming back after the festival.
The Transport Minister had directed officials to provide amenities for passengers at various bus terminals across the city including Koyambedu, Madhavaram, KK Nagar, Tambaram MEPZ and Poonamallee. The special buses will be operated from these terminals, along with the regular buses. Speaking to The Hindu, an official who works with the Transport Department said that a control room and a round-the-clock help desk to provide information about the buses and to receive complaints have been opened at the Koyambedu terminal.
Buses heading to Andhra Pradesh will be operated from the Madhavaram New Bus stand. Buses going to Puducherry, Cuddalore, and Chidambaram through the East Coast Road (ECR) will start from the KK Nagar Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus terminal. Buses bound to Tindivanam and its neighbouring districts will be operated from Tambaram MEPZ and Anna Bus stand. From the Tambrama Railway Station bus stand, passengers can board buses going to Tiruvannamalai, Polur, and Chetpattu among other neighbouring districts.
Apart from this, Minister Sivasankar said that the Transport Department will be operating toll free helplines to receive complaints about private omni bus operators who might be overcharging their customers. An exclusive complaint cell will be opened at the Koyambedu terminal to receive complaints about the high ticket fares.