Chennai: As the summer break in Tamil Nadu draws to a close, the Transport Corporation has announced its intention to operate special buses starting from the 5th of June.
The summer vacation in Tamil Nadu began last April, prompting people to travel to various destinations and their hometowns with their families. However, with schools set to reopen on June 6, there has been a surge in people returning to Chennai and metropolitan areas.
Anticipating an unprecedented increase in bus usage, the transport department has made the decision to deploy additional buses to address this situation. Currently, Tamil Nadu operates 20,258 buses across six zones: Villupuram, Salem, Kumbakonam, Coimbatore, Madurai, and Nellai. Furthermore, an additional 20,258 buses are deployed for Rapid Transit and Urban Transit across eight zones.
Transport officials have reported a substantial rise in bookings throughout the state. Commenting on the matter, they stated, “As the school vacation ends on June 6, people have booked buses to return to their workplaces. Naturally, bus usage surges during this period. To manage this, all available buses from the Transport Corporation will be put into service to alleviate overcrowding. Adequate buses will be dispatched to major cities like Chennai and Coimbatore, and existing buses at stations are being repaired and made ready. We are fully prepared to tackle this situation smoothly.”
To accommodate the majority of passengers who travel during nighttime, extra buses have been arranged. Bus operators and drivers have been instructed to manage congestion and ensure passenger safety. Additionally, plans are underway to operate 500 additional buses alongside the usual fleet of 20,258. Special buses will be operational from June 5 to June 7, a decision that has been well-received by the public and commuters.
