CHENNAI: Ahead of Pongal, special buses are being operated by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation and State Express Transport Corporation, from seven places in Chennai to help people who are travelling to their hometown.
These special buses will be operated from Friday to Sunday and for the return journey, on January 17 and 18 from these termini:
Kilambakkam: Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Karur, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Sengottai, Thiruchendur, Nagercoil, Thiruvananthapuram, Pudukottai, Dindigul, Tirupur, Salem, Coimbatore and Ernakulam
Madhavaram new bus stand: Andhra-bound buses via Redhill, Ponneri, Gummudipoondi, Uthukottai
K K Nagar MTC bus terminus: Buses going towards Puducherry, Cuddalore, Chidambaram via ECR
Tambaram MEPZ Anna Bus Stand: Buses to Tindivanam, Panruti, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur - Via, Vikravandi
Tambaram Valluvar Gurukulam Bus Stand: Buses bound for Kancheepuram, Vellore, Arani via Oragadam
Poonamallee bus stand: Buses bound for Vellore, Arani, Arcot, Tirupattur, Kancheepuram, Cheyyar, Hosur, Tiruttani and Tirupati via Poonamallee
CMBT (Koyambedu) bus stand: Buses bound for Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Velankanni, Tiruchi, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Sengottai, Tuticorin, Thiruchendur, Nagercoil, Marthandam, Kanyakumari, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Karaikudi, Pudukottai, Ariyalur, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, Tiruppur, Pollachi, Erode, Ramanathapuram, Salem, Coimbatore and Bangalore
The MTC is arranging special connecting buses for passengers to reach these stations. All reserved TNSTC, SETC buses from CMBT will take the route of Outer Ring Road to reach the Urapakkam temporary bus station to allow the boarding of passengers who have reserved tickets from Tambaram and Perungalathur.
As usual, SETC buses will take the route via Poonamallee High Road, Vanagaram, Nazarathpet and Outer Ring Road and reach Vandalur. These buses will not pass through Tambaram and Perungalathur.
Similarly, Omni buses operating from CMBT bound for other districts would take the route of Poonamallee High Road, Vanagaram, Nazarathpet, Outer Ring Road and reach Vandalur. These buses will also not pass through Tambaram and Perungulathur.
Omni buses going towards ECR will ply through 100 Feet Road, Kathipara, Guindy, Sardar Patel Road (OMR, ECR) subject to the approval of traffic police. Omni buses will avoid boarding points on 100 Feet Road and Poonamallee High Road in front of metro rail stations. Instead those passengers can be asked to board from Koyambedu or Urapakkam.
Car and other vehicle users may take the Thirukalukundram-Chengalpattu route or Sriperumbudur-Chengalpattu route instead of Tambaram-Perungalathur route to avoid traffic congestion.