TIRUCHY: To meet the surge in weekend travel demand, the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) diverts town buses to operate additional mofussil services from Tiruchy to Chennai, as well as to Hosur, Bengaluru and Coimbatore, from Friday to Sunday. However, many of these buses return late and are redeployed only after a delay on Monday mornings. This disrupts suburban services in areas such as Manapparai, Thuraiyur and Musiri, resulting in reduced frequency, longer waiting time and crowding during rush hours.
T Ramanathan, a regular commuter from Manapparai to Tiruchy, said, “On weekdays, except Monday mornings, we usually have a bus every 15 minutes. But on Mondays, we get a bus only once in 30 to 40 minutes, and that too depends on when buses return from their weekend trips.”
Echoing similar concerns, R Praveen, a college student commuting from Musiri to Tiruchy, said the issue has become worse in recent months. “In the last six months, it appears more buses are being diverted as Chennai services have improved. While that is good, local commuters are affected. Private buses have taken advantage of the situation and are operating more services on Monday mornings,” he said, adding that the number of buses diverted to mofussil services seems to have increased during weekends.
N Saravanan, a bus activist, said, “As long as the fleet strength remains the same, such diversions will continue to affect suburban services. The government must focus on augmenting the fleet so that both intercity and local demands can be met without affecting regular commuters,” he said.
Responding to the concerns, a senior TNSTC official said the decision to operate additional services is driven by demand patterns, with a growing share of mofussil demand also coming from suburban commuters. “We have enhanced Chennai services based on passenger requirements. There is also increasing demand from suburban areas for direct connectivity to both Kilambakkam and Madhavaram in Chennai, as well as improved services to Bengaluru and Hosur,” the official said.
The official clarified that diversions do not occur every weekend and are planned based on factors such as local festivals, auspicious days, government holidays and overall travel demand. “On average, around 50 to a maximum of 75 buses are diverted from suburban routes for mofussil services based on the demand on Sundays,” he added. He said the situation is expected to improve with the gradual addition of new buses. “With the procurement of electric and CNG buses across the state, more vehicles will be available, helping balance both suburban and intercity demands in the future,” he said.
