Passengers across several districts of western Tamil Nadu were left stranded for hours on 29 December 2025, Monday, after a large number of government buses were diverted for the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) women’s wing conference held at Palladam, triggering widespread public inconvenience and criticism.
The DMK women’s conference, attended by Chief Minister MK Stalin, was held at Palladam in Tiruppur district. For the event, party cadres and women participants were transported from Pollachi, Udumalpet, Nilgiris, and surrounding rural and suburban areas. Most of the transport was arranged using Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) buses, with several buses that normally operate on village, suburban, and inter-district routes being temporarily diverted.
According to eyewitnesses and local reports, women participants were transported in buses decorated with DMK party flags and asked to wear party-coloured attire, including sarees and churidars. As a result, regular government bus services to villages, towns, and nearby cities were either curtailed or completely halted.
Passengers Wait for Hours at Bus Stands
The diversion of buses led to severe disruptions at major bus stands, including Pollachi and Udumalpet. Passengers reported waiting for several hours without any clarity on bus availability. Many bus stands appeared nearly deserted of buses, despite large crowds of commuters.
The situation was compounded by the New Year holiday rush, with thousands of people attempting to travel out of town. From Monday morning onwards, passengers at Udumalpet bus stand waited for extended periods to travel to Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Palani, and other destinations. Even the few buses that arrived were overcrowded, forcing passengers to travel in unsafe and uncomfortable conditions.
Rural commuters were particularly affected after buses operating to villages were abruptly withdrawn or suspended. Residents reported missing work, medical appointments, and essential travel due to the lack of transport.
Nilgiris Hit Hard by Bus Diversions
A similar situation was reported in the Nilgiris district, where government buses were sent to Palladam to ferry DMK women cadres despite the district already operating with a limited fleet.
According to Manoharan, president of the Coonoor People’s Safety Association, only 165 government buses operate in the Nilgiris district on a normal day. Of these, more than 30 buses were diverted to transport party workers for the DMK conference.
As a result, local passengers were forced to wait for over two hours at multiple locations. In Kotagiri, villagers waited from 8:30 am until 10:40 AM for buses to Edappalli and surrounding areas. Many commuters travelling for work, medical needs, and essential services resorted to hitching rides in passing vehicles.
Coonoor bus stand also witnessed long queues, while town buses were rerouted away from regular village routes such as Woodlands, leaving entire areas without public transport for hours.
Traffic Congestion and Policing Shortage
In addition to transport disruptions, traffic congestion worsened in several towns. With senior police personnel deployed to Palladam and other locations where the Chief Minister and ministers were present, local areas such as Pollachi were left with minimal traffic police presence.
Residents reported severe congestion, with even ambulances and emergency vehicles struggling to move through crowded roads due to the absence of traffic regulation.
Public Criticism and Calls for Accountability
Social activists and commuters criticised the routine use of government buses for ruling party events, stating that such practices had become common whenever DMK conferences or Chief Minister-led programmes were held.
They argued that government buses meant for public service should not be repurposed for political events, especially during peak travel periods and public holidays. Activists urged the government to ensure that party programmes are conducted using private arrangements without disrupting essential public transport.
Reacting to the situation, BJP leader Annamalai criticised the DMK government, stating that people who voted for the ruling party were now paying the price through daily hardships. He said that the public was repeatedly being made to suffer due to misuse of state resources for party activities.
உங்களை நம்பி வாக்களித்து ஆட்சிக் கட்டிலில் அமர்த்தியதற்கான விலையை இன்று மக்கள் தினமும் அனுபவித்து வருகின்றனர்.
நிரந்தரமாக வீட்டிற்கு செல்ல வேண்டிய நாள் இனி வெகுதூரத்தில் இல்லை, திரு @mkstalin அவர்களே! pic.twitter.com/SgUG0Xzjv2
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) December 30, 2025
Widespread Inconvenience Across Regions
Reports confirmed that similar disruptions were experienced across multiple towns and villages in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Udumalpet, and Nilgiris districts. With both government and private buses diverted or suspended for the conference, thousands of passengers were affected throughout the day.
Source: Dinamalar
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