Kilambakkam terminus chokes with lakhs heading home for Deepavali
From Friday evening till Saturday morning, nearly 1.3 lakh passengers travelled by buses
Crowd at the bus terminus being entertained by live musical performances on Saturday evening
CHENNAI: Lakhs of people from Chennai and its suburbs have been leaving for their hometowns to celebrate Deepavali with their families. The sudden mass departure led to an overwhelming crowd at the Kilambakkam Bus Terminus, where passengers thronged in large numbers throughout the night.
According to transport officials, 2,092 regular government buses operate daily from Kilambakkam. To manage the festive rush, 2,165 additional buses were deployed from Friday evening till Saturday morning, carrying nearly 1.3 lakh passengers in a single night.
Despite the extra services, heavy traffic congestion was reported on the Chennai–Trichy National Highway, especially near Pallavaram, Tambaram, Perungalathur, Vandalur, and Kilambakkam, where vehicles moved at a snail’s pace late into the night. To ease the pressure, traffic was diverted through OMR and ECR, which helped maintain smoother movement in some stretches.
At around 10 pm on Friday, Tamil Nadu Transport Minister SS Sivasankar made a surprise visit to the Kilambakkam Bus Terminus to inspect passenger arrangements. He personally interacted with commuters, drivers, and conductors to gather feedback on facilities and challenges. The Minister said that 1,935 additional buses would be operated on Saturday and 1,400 extra services would be added on Sunday.
He also noted that 2.39 lakh passengers had pre-booked their tickets for this year’s Deepavali, compared with 1.68 lakh last year, marking an increase of about 70,000 travellers. To meet the surge in demand, private buses have been hired on contract by the government and are operating at government-approved fares. Around 200 city buses have also been kept on standby for emergency passenger movement.
“Measures are in place to prevent long queues at toll plazas. Even passengers without bookings will be accommodated. Strict enforcement against private omnibus bus operators has eliminated complaints of overcharging,” he added.
To keep waiting passengers entertained and relieve their fatigue, the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) organised live music performances inside the terminus. Passengers awaiting buses enjoyed the melodies, turning the busy terminal into a lively festive hub — a new experience for many travellers.