Amidst the ongoing holiday season, over 50,000 people who had pre-booked buses reached Koyambedu, where police barricades restricted the movement of buses in and out of the area. Passengers with confirmed reservations were unexpectedly denied entry and were asked to head to Kilambakkam at the last minute. This led to confusion and distress among people. Passengers voiced their frustration as they endured extended waits for buses. 

Passengers stranded at the bus station were frustrated by the lack of organisation by the state government in Tamil Nadu. Several of them were unable to reach the Kilambakkam bus station after arriving at Koyambedu to board their buses to reach their respective destinations. Speaking to News Tamil24x7, the passengers narrated their ordeal. 

One male passenger said, “This was the same situation during Pongal too. At that time, they called us 3 hours before the scheduled departure and said the bus would not be at Koyambedu and we had to be at Kilambakkam. So this time, we called them up earlier at 1.30 PM or so, and confirmed where the boarding point would be. They asked us to board at Koyambedu. It is one hour since we arrived here, and there is an announcement now. We don’t know where we have to go next. You know how this feels like, for the sake of satisfying the government’s ego, we are being troubled. They have built the bus station there so we have to go there and board. I live in Mogappair, from here if I have to reach Kilambakkam, it will take me nearly 1.5 hours. For me, Koyambedu is closer, it takes only 10 minutes. To satisfy your ego, why should we go there instead of using the facilities nearby? There is such a big omnibus bus stand here, what is the justification that we must go there only? Don’t trouble us for your ego. That is my request. For Pongal also same thing happened, they gave the excuse of traffic jams. I went from here to Kilambakkam by bike. I took the bypass and got stuck in the traffic at Tambaram, it is the same thing now. The traffic at Perungulathur has now shifted to Vandalur, that is the only difference. They have spent so much money to build it but I do not see how it will be justly used. Please do not bring your ego into this, we are suffering a lot. If the buses start an hour late, I will reach my destination at midnight, our entire plan will be spoiled because I have to travel further and go to the village and over there the buses don’t come often, we have to wait there as well. Everything will be delayed. The announcements are changing by the minute, first, they said 7 PM now they are saying all the buses, now I do not know if we have to stay here or go to Kilambakkam.”

Another passenger named Sujith said, “I am an advocate at the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court. I came here for an interview with the judges. I came here with my wife. The bus was supposed to be here at 2.15 PM, but till now there is no sight of the bus. I am supposed to take Parveen Travels, but it is still not here. The government could have at least given us a notification when we bought the ticket at least they should have told us, but they didn’t. I booked my tickets at Madurai. First, they said the bus would leave at 7 PM but now they are not saying anything. They are not even issuing a refund.”

Another passenger who was on his way to Trichy said, “They said the bus will leave at 3 PM, but the bus has not reached here yet. When I called them they said they were not letting the bus inside. The government has to allocate timing for this and do it. If they have to do it immediately, how will they? I can take a cab and go that is not an issue for me.”

Another passenger said, “They said the bus would leave at 1 PM, then they said it was at 1.45 PM. I received a call and when I reached at 1.40 PM, they said the bus had left already and asked me to go to Koyambedu. They asked me to board the 3 PM bus there. I have been waiting since 3 PM, there is no sign of any bus. When we went in and asked about it, they kept flip-flopping their answers.”

"உங்க Ego-வுக்கு எங்கள கஷ்டபடுத்தாதீங்க…" நீண்ட நேரம் காத்திருக்கும் பயணிகள் பேட்டி#OmniBusStand #Koyambedu #OmniBus #Passengers #KilambakkamBusTerminus #NewsTamil24x7 pic.twitter.com/bV1RLjtd7P

— News Tamil 24×7 (@NewsTamilTV24x7) January 24, 2024

A report by Polimer News records people sharing what happened.

One passenger named Michael says, “They never intimated us. Till the evening they said the bus would leave from here (Koyambedu) only. But they have stopped it now, how can we go now?”

Another visibly upset lady passenger who had planned to go to Madurai said, “We booked the tickets 2 days back. They are not letting us inside now. I don’t know what to do. We have a function to attend tomorrow. They are not allowing us inside, we are being asked to go to Kilambakkam. When do we go, our bus is at 7.15 PM! We came here at 6.45 PM thinking we had to board here, but the police is denying entry. When we call them, they are asking us to come inside breaking the barricade but there are police standing there. How do we go inside, how do I attend the function tomorrow? The government will come up with rules suddenly and we have to suffer for that? We were not informed of the change nor was it on the news. I came here directly after work. Only after reaching the bus stand (Koyambedu) did I come to know of the change. I have to go somehow, whose money is this? I work, I earn and I am buying my tickets with that, who is giving the money, is the government arranging free buses?”

Yet another lady passenger said, “We are shunting from here to there, we need to go to Madurai, how do we go now? All of a sudden, we are asked to go to Kilambakkam, how do we go? They are not allowing us inside and asking us to go there to Kilambakkam. If we call the bus company (travels), they are saying the bus is here and asked us to come inside. It is 7 now, how will we reach on time to board the 8.15 PM bus? We left home at 4 PM, and from 5.30 PM we are running here and there. The police are not letting us inside also. What can we ladies do?”

A male passenger said, “People like us who are fairly well-to-do can manage the trip to Kilambakkam. How will the others without money go? What is Stalin doing?” 

யார் அப்பன் வீட்டு காசு @Udhaystalin ??

தொடர் விடுமுறையால் 50,000-க்கும் மேற்பட்ட மக்கள் பேருந்துகள் முன்பதிவு செய்து கோயம்பேடு வந்தடைந்துள்ள வேளையில் காவல்துறையை வைத்து பேருந்துகள் உள்ளே-வெளியே செல்ல இயலாத வகையில் தடுப்புகளை அமைத்துள்ளனர்.

முன்பதிவு செய்து பேருந்து நிலையம்… pic.twitter.com/Il4GacVbXH

— Karthikeyan S 🇮🇳 (@karthikbjpkarur) January 24, 2024

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The Pongal week was a very long holiday. The following week – starting from 25 January 2024 to 28 January 2024 is yet another long weekend for the people of Tamil Nadu. 25 January 2024 is a special day since Thaipoosam will be celebrated and people from all parts of the state would want to go back to their hometowns since the following day 26 January 2024 is also a holiday owing to India’s Republic Day. 

Buses are the preferred means of transport for most of the people living in Chennai who intend to head back to their native. The challenges that emerged during the inauguration of the Kilambakkam Bus Terminus have escalated since its opening.

Amidst the ongoing holiday season, over 50,000 people who had pre-booked buses reached Koyambedu, where police barricades restricted the movement of buses in and out of the area. Passengers with confirmed reservations were unexpectedly denied entry and were asked to head to Kilambakkam at the last minute. This led to confusion and distress among people.

Passengers voiced their frustration as they endured extended waits for buses travelling from Kilambakkam for Thaipusam and Pournami Girivalam. The Chennai Kilambakkam bus station became heavily congested during holiday seasons, drawing large crowds over four consecutive days encompassing occasions like Thaipusam, Republic Day, and weekend breaks as people embark on journeys to their hometowns. Devotees heading from Chennai to Tiruvannamalai for Pournami Girivalam expressed concerns about the delays in bus services.

A passenger shared their dismay, recounting a journey to Koyambedu bus station that cost them ₹8 but had to shell out ₹200 to reach Kilambakkam by bus. Questions were raised about the necessity of the passengers to come to Kilambakkam when it was stated that all buses would pick up passengers at Koyambedu. A report by Polimer News records people sharing what happened.

One passenger named Michael says, “They never intimated us. Till the evening they said the bus would leave from here (Koyambedu) only. But they have stopped it now, how can we go now?”

Another visibly upset lady passenger who had planned to go to Madurai said, “We booked the tickets 2 days back. They are not letting us inside now. I don’t know what to do. We have a function to attend tomorrow. They are not allowing us inside, we are being asked to go to Kilambakkam. When do we go, our bus is at 7.15 PM! We came here at 6.45 PM thinking we had to board here, but the police is denying entry. When we call them, they are asking us to come inside breaking the barricade but there are police standing there. How do we go inside, how do I attend the function tomorrow? The government will come up with rules suddenly and we have to suffer for that? We were not informed of the change nor was it on the news. I came here directly after work. Only after reaching the bus stand (Koyambedu) did I come to know of the change. I have to go somehow, whose money is this? I work, I earn and I am buying my tickets with that, who is giving the money, is the government arranging free buses?”

Yet another lady passenger said, “We are shunting from here to there, we need to go to Madurai, how do we go now? All of a sudden, we are asked to go to Kilambakkam, how do we go? They are not allowing us inside and asking us to go there to Kilambakkam. If we call the bus company (travels), they are saying the bus is here and asked us to come inside. It is 7 now, how will we reach on time to board the 8.15 PM bus? We left home at 4 PM, and from 5.30 PM we are running here and there. The police are not letting us inside also. What can we ladies do?”

A male passenger said, “People like us who are fairly well-to-do can manage the trip to Kilambakkam. How will the others without money go? What is Stalin doing?” 

யார் அப்பன் வீட்டு காசு @Udhaystalin ??

தொடர் விடுமுறையால் 50,000-க்கும் மேற்பட்ட மக்கள் பேருந்துகள் முன்பதிவு செய்து கோயம்பேடு வந்தடைந்துள்ள வேளையில் காவல்துறையை வைத்து பேருந்துகள் உள்ளே-வெளியே செல்ல இயலாத வகையில் தடுப்புகளை அமைத்துள்ளனர்.

முன்பதிவு செய்து பேருந்து நிலையம்… pic.twitter.com/Il4GacVbXH

— Karthikeyan S 🇮🇳 (@karthikbjpkarur) January 24, 2024

What is also quite apparent from these videos is that people are confused between Kelambakkam and Kilambakkam. 

A netizen also shared his experience on social media platform X. He wrote, “Operationalising Kilambakkam bus stand is a classic case study of how can one “Royally” Screw something! All of us who were supposed to board at different parts of Chennai were asked to come to Kilambakkam at the last moment. The public buses to Kilambakkam were extra crowded. A few of us pooled in and hired an auto. Reached here by 11 PM. At the outset, it looked well-lighted. But after entering the terminus, there were no food options. There were 2 restaurants but were out of stock. There was this Aavin booth that served hot milk which was my dinner. Being a new bus stand, was anticipating that restrooms will be well maintained. But was shocked to see Pathetic restrooms. Feel sorry for the maintenance staff here. Their displeasure is very much visible!”

Operatinalising Kilambakkam bus stand is a classic case study of how can one “Royally” Screw something!

All of us who were supposed to board at different parts of Chennai were asked to come to Kilambakkam at the last moment. The public buses to Kilambakkam were extra crowded.…

— Indhavaainko (இந்தாவாய்ங்கோ) 👊 (@indhavaainko) January 24, 2024

Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party State Secretary, SG Suryah, posted a video reporting live from Koyambedu Omni Bus Station. In the video, he said, “I was in a news debate with News7 and from then I was constantly receiving messages from people that they had booked bus tickets to go from Koyambedu to their respective destinations. It is Thaipoosam tomorrow (25 January 2024) and it is a long weekend as well. But they said that the omnibus operators informed the passengers that they needed to board at Kilambakkam. But there were no buses that would ferry them to Kilambakkam. Autos and cabs were charging ₹1000 and above. So I came here to understand the situation. But the omnibus bus station is closed. There are 100s of police personnel deployed there. The people here are informing me that the government has issued an order that no buses can ply from here. The reason given for that is that the buses must operate only from the Kilambakkam bus station. The Omnibus Operators Association is stating that the government is forcing them to ply from Kilambakkam. It is the people that are facing all the trouble because of this decision. Even during New Year (1 January) they did the same thing, so also for Pongal, now it is being repeated for Thai Poosam. There were so many women with infants outside the Koyambedu bus station. Why doesn’t the government have any plan? Anbazhagan says that nearly 60,000 passengers have booked their bus tickets from Koyambedu. Why is the government hell-bent on making these passengers board their buses only from Kilambakkam? The Chief Minister must try to understand the problems being faced by the people. He is sitting at home and doing politics on Facebook and the internet. Instead, he has to come out and see for himself how his government authorities are troubling the people of his state without any planning. I don’t know if the CM is even aware of these things, is he being informed of the developments? The people are really frustrated with what is happening. It is even worse in Kilambakkam. 

At Kilambakkam bus station, the government themselves have intimated that only 144 omnibuses can be parked at a time. However, at the omnibus bus stand here, more than 1000 such omnibuses ply in a single day. How will they accommodate and operate 1000 such omnibuses in place of those 144 omnibuses? The omnibus association tells me that no facilities are in place to permit this. There is a separate omnibus bus stand in Mudichur being built but it will take about 6 months for it to be completed. They say that they will operate from there after the completion. Till then, they wish to operate from Koyambedu itself. But the government is not even ready to discuss this. What is the politics behind this? Why are the people being troubled so much? I request the Chief Minister to address this issue immediately.”

தற்போது கோயம்பேடு ஆம்னி பேருந்து நிலையத்தில் இருந்து Live.

ஹிந்து பண்டிகைகளை குறிவைத்து தமிழர்களை வஞ்சிக்கிறதா ஹிந்து விரோத தி.மு.க அரசு? பதில் சொல்லுங்கள் பொம்மை முதல்வரே திரு.@mkstalin ? pic.twitter.com/qfE9g2MoeK

— Dr.SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) January 24, 2024

Critics argue that the government is consistently involved in actions that leave citizens vulnerable. 

(with inputs from Polimer News)

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