CHENNAI: To accommodate the rush to Tiruvannamalai for the Karthigai Deepam festival and Pournami Girivalam, the State Transport department will operate over 10,000 special buses from December 12 to 15.
The Southern Railway has also announced special trains to Tiruvannamalai from Katpadi, Villupuram, Tambaram, and Tiruchy.
According to a press release, 1,982 special buses will run from Chennai to Tiruvannamalai during this period, while an additional 8,127 buses will operate from various other parts of the state. Advance bookings are open, said the transport department.
Similarly, the railways stated that the Tambaram-Tiruvannamalai unreserved MEMU express special will leave Tambaram at 10.45 am on December 13, 14 and 15 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) and reach Tiruvannamalai at 2:45 pm the same day.
In the return journey, the train will leave Tiruvannamalai at 10:25 pm and reach Tambaram at 2:15 am the next day.
The Katpadi-Villupuram unreserved MEMU special will leave Katpadi at 6 am and 3:30 pm on December 13, 14, and 15, and reach Villupuram via Tiruvannamalai at 10 am and 7:30 pm respectively.
In the return journey, the train will leave Villupuram station at 11:15 am and 8 pm, and later reach Katpadi station at 3 pm and 11:45 pm, respectively.
The Villupuram-Tiruvannamalai MEMU express special will depart from Villupuram at 9:25 am and 4.40pm on December 13, 14, and 15, and arrive at Tiruvannamalai at 11:10 am and 6pm respectively. In the return direction, the train will leave Tiruvannamalai at 12.40pm and 3pm and reach Villupuram at 2:15 pm and 4:20 pm, respectively, on the same day.
The Tiruchchirappalli-Vellore Express Special will depart from Tiruchy at 8am on December 13, and arrive at Vellore Cantonment at 2.50pm via Tiruvannamalai.
The return train will leave Vellore Cantonment at 11pm and reach Tiruchy at 7:20am the next day.