The Tamil Nadu Transport Department will operate nearly 22,000 buses for the Pongal festival, which is set to be celebrated on January 14, 2025. These buses, along with special services, will be deployed from January 10 to 13 for passengers traveling to various destinations. In the return direction, buses will be available from January 15 to 19.
Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar chaired a coordination meeting with stakeholders from the eight state transport undertakings, City Traffic Police, Transport and Road Safety Commissionerate, and other involved parties at the Secretariat to plan the operation of these buses. He assured that regular and special buses would operate from three major bus terminals: Kilambakkam, Koyambedu, and Madhavaram.
Key Bus Operations Details:
- Total Buses for the Festival: Around 22,000 buses
- Regular Buses: 13,536 buses over 4 days (2,092 buses per day)
- Special Buses: 5,736 buses over 4 days
- Buses Within Other Parts of the State: 7,800 buses
Bus Operations at Terminals:
| Bus Terminus | Destinations Served |
|---|---|
| Kilambakkam | Puducherry, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Madurai, Thoothukudi, Thirunelveli, Salem, Coimbatore, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur Vandavasi, Polur, Thiruvannamalai (from MTC Bus Stand) |
| Koyambedu | ECR destinations, Kancheepuram, Vellore, Bengaluru, Thiruvarur |
| Madhavaram | Andhra Pradesh, Tiruchi, Salem, Tiruvannamalai |
Special Return Buses:
For the return journey to the city from January 15 to 19, the Transport Department will operate a total of 12,216 buses, including 5,290 special buses. Additionally, 22,676 buses will operate throughout the state, ensuring smooth transportation during the festive period.
Ticket Booking:
To streamline ticket booking for the Pongal festival, the Transport Department has opened nine counters for passengers:
- Kilambakkam: 7 counters
- Koyambedu: 2 counters
Alternatively, passengers can book tickets online through the TNSTC official website www.tnstic.in or via the TNSTC mobile app.
For assistance, passengers can contact the following numbers:
- Mobile: 9445014436 (available round-the-clock)
- Toll-Free: 18004256151
The Transport Department’s extensive planning aims to ensure that passengers travel conveniently during the busy Pongal festival period, with a massive fleet of buses and easy booking options.
