Chennai, Dec 23 : To cater to the expected surge in passenger movement ahead of Christmas, the State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) has announced the operation of 900 special bus services from Chennai to various parts of Tamil Nadu over the next two days.

The transport authorities expect a sharp rise in travel from Chennai and other major cities, as people head to their hometowns and religious destinations to celebrate the festival. In view of the increased demand, the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) has decided to operate special buses in addition to its regular services to ensure smooth travel for passengers.

According to officials, the majority of the special services will be operated from the Kilambakkam Integrated Bus Terminus, which handles long-distance services from southern Chennai.

From Kilambakkam, 255 special buses will be operated on Wednesday, while 525 buses will be run on Thursday, connecting Chennai with various parts of the state. The special services will cater to high-demand routes such as Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchirappalli, Kumbakonam, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi, Coimbatore, Salem, Erode and Tiruppur.

These destinations typically witness heavy passenger movement during festival seasons, especially from officegoers and students travelling back to their native places. In addition, special buses will also operate from Chennai and Coimbatore to destinations, including Tiruvannamalai, Nagapattinam, Velankanni, Hosur and Bengaluru.

A total of 91 special buses have been scheduled on these routes over the two days. Another 20 special buses will be operated from Madhavaram in North Chennai to further ease passenger congestion.

Officials said that based on demand, special return services will also be operated on Sunday from various parts of Tamil Nadu to Chennai and Bengaluru, facilitating the return of passengers after the Christmas holidays.

Passengers have been advised to plan their travel in advance and use official booking platforms to avoid last-minute inconvenience. The transport corporations said the additional services are aimed at ensuring safe, comfortable and timely travel during the festive season.

/IANS