Tamil Nadu Announces 22,000 Pongal Special Buses for 2025

As the Pongal festival draws near, the Tamil Nadu government has unveiled an extensive transportation plan to handle travelers’ rush.

State Transport Minister SS Sivasanker has announced that over 22,000 pongal special buses will be operational between January 10 and 13 to ensure smooth travel for passengers heading to their native places for the festivities.

Also Read: 15% Increase in Bus Fares Across All Karnataka State Transport

Key Highlights of Pongal Special Bus Plan

To ensure convenience and manage the surge in passenger numbers, the Tamil Nadu government, in coordination with transport officials, traffic police, and CUMTA, has finalized the following transportation arrangements:

• 22,000 Pongal special buses will be deployed to meet the Pongal rush.
• 21,904 buses will be operational during the 4-day festival period from January 10 to 13, 2025.
• 14,104 buses will depart from Chennai, consisting of:
  • 5,736 special buses
  • 8,368 regular buses

Departure Terminals in Chennai

To cater to the large number of passengers, the Pongal special buses buses will depart from three main locations in Chennai:

• Koyambedu
• Kilambakkam
• Madhavaram

The MTC (Metropolitan Transport Corporation) will also ensure round-the-clock services to Kilambakkam to ease the movement of passengers, ensuring greater accessibility.

Also Read: TNSTC Vaikom and Chennai Bus Service Timings

Special Buses After the Festival

Managing the return of passengers is equally crucial to ensure a smooth experience for travelers coming back after the festival.

In line with this, the Tamil Nadu transport corporations will operate 15,750 buses between January 15 and 19, 2025, to accommodate passengers returning to Chennai and other destinations across the state.

Breakdown of Return Journey Services:

• 5,790 special buses will be dedicated to bringing passengers back to Chennai.
• An additional 6,926 special buses will connect major destinations across Tamil Nadu.

In total, 22,676 buses will operate post-Pongal, ensuring travelers’ safe and timely return.

Estimated Traveler Numbers and Demand

This year, the demand for buses has seen a substantial rise. Transport Minister S. S. Sivasankar reported that 7.75 lakh passengers are expected to travel from Chennai for Pongal 2025, an increase from 6 lakh in 2024.

The significant rise in passenger numbers has prompted the government to arrange additional buses, including private operators, to meet the growing demand.

The Role of Private Buses in Meeting Demand

To address the surge in demand, the Tamil Nadu government has planned to bring in private buses as well, which will complement the government-run fleet. The collaboration with private operators is expected to ensure the availability of sufficient buses to meet the unprecedented demand.