The Pongal festival sparked a huge travel rush from Chennai this year. More than 8.75 lakh passengers left the city for their hometowns using special buses run by the State Express Transport Corporation. These special services started on Friday, January 9, and continued until the evening of January 14.
Special Bus Operations in Full Swing
SETC deployed a massive fleet to handle the festive demand. The corporation operated a total of 19,368 buses during this period. This number included 2,092 regular route buses and 7,202 special buses. These special services connected various inter-district and inter-state destinations, making travel convenient for many.
Advance Bookings Show Significant Jump
Passengers showed great enthusiasm by booking their tickets well in advance. Around 2.8 lakh people secured their seats before Pongal. This figure marks a sharp increase from last year's 2.17 lakh advance bookings. The growth represents a solid 30 percent rise in pre-festival reservations.
Chennai itself accounted for about 1.4 lakh of these advance bookings. Other locations contributed another 1.3 lakh bookings. The data clearly indicates a strong desire to travel home for the celebrations.
Return Journey Plans Already in Place
SETC has made thorough arrangements for the return journey as well. A total of 25,038 buses will run over three days to bring passengers back to Chennai smoothly. This fleet includes both regular route buses and special services. The corporation aims to ensure a hassle-free return for everyone after the festivities.
Private Buses Also See Heavy Usage
Private bus operators played a major role in managing the travel surge. A Anbazhagan, president of the All Omni Bus Owners Association, shared important numbers. Between January 9 and 14, private buses carried 3.35 lakh people to various parts of the state. This demonstrates the combined effort of both public and private transport systems.
The Pongal season truly highlighted the importance of robust transport networks. Thousands of families relied on these services to reunite with loved ones. The coordinated operations by SETC and private operators ensured a successful travel experience for lakhs of passengers.
