Diwali 2026: Chennai Sees Massive Travel Rush As 15 Lakh Passengers Head Home, Special Buses & Trains Deployed
Chennai, Nov 8: More than 15 lakh passengers travelled out of Chennai between November 5 and 7 to celebrate Diwali in their hometowns, triggering a massive rush at bus terminals and railway stations across the city.
Government and private buses transported nearly seven lakh passengers during the three days, while trains carried several lakh more. Thousands of people also travelled in private cars and other vehicles.
The exodus gathered momentum on Friday and continued through Saturday, with major transport hubs witnessing heavy crowds as families rushed to reach their destinations ahead of the festival.
VIDEO | Tamil Nadu: Migrant workers from northern states have begun heading home from Tiruppur to celebrate Diwali with their families.As thousands of passengers wait to board, the overwhelming rush forces desperate commuters to cling to train footboards. With coaches packed to capacity, desperate passengers are pushing their way inside. The journey to Bihar and Jharkhand, taking roughly 48 hours across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha has turned into an grueling ordeal for these workers. Despite the railway authorities announcing special festive trains, severe overcrowding persists because the total capacity falls far short of demand. A vast number of them are heading home to celebrate Diwali, Govardhan Puja, and Chhath Puja with their families.(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTfmBd)
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 7, 2026
Government Buses Handle Festive Rush
Government buses alone transported 5.15 lakh passengers over three days. On Saturday, 3,319 buses operated until 8 p.m., carrying approximately 1.35 lakh passengers. The number of passengers using government services stood at 1.4 lakh on Thursday and increased sharply to 2.39 lakh on Friday.
Transport authorities had planned 15,659 services to manage the festive rush. The arrangements included 5,743 regular buses, 4,405 special government services and 1,013 private contract buses.
Delays And Overcrowding At Kilambakkam
Despite the additional services, passengers at the Kilambakkam bus terminus faced considerable inconvenience because of delays and overcrowding. Several buses reportedly arrived nearly two hours behind schedule, raising concerns among passengers travelling to distant destinations, including southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
While seating arrangements and passenger facilities received appreciation, delays in departures and the heavy rush created uncertainty over arrival times.
Indian Army Colonel Tarunendra Pratap Singh's Callused Knuckles Grab Internet Attention During UN Peacekeeping Speech | VIDEOPrivate bus operators also witnessed substantial demand, operating more than 4,717 services and transporting over 1.8 lakh passengers during the three days. Private buses carried approximately 56,800 passengers on Thursday, 75,900 on Friday and 56,000 on Saturday.
Special Trains Accommodate Diwali Travellers
The railway network handled another major share of the festive movement. Southern Railway operated 132 special trains during the Diwali period, with around three lakh passengers travelling daily from Chennai Central, Egmore and Tambaram stations.
Additional coaches were attached to 22 mail and express trains, while eight unreserved MEMU services were introduced to accommodate passengers.
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Security Tightened At Railway Stations
Security arrangements were strengthened at railway stations amid heavy movement of travellers. The Railway Protection Force apprehended five people for carrying firecrackers at Chennai Central and Egmore stations on November 6.
The festive rush highlighted the enormous demand for transport services during Diwali, despite extensive arrangements by railway and road transport authorities.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
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