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Dravidian Model: Lack Of Buses To Hometown Leaves Passengers Stranded At Kilambakkam Bus Stand Just Before Election Day

The Commune

The Lok Sabha elections for Puducherry and Tamil Nadu are taking place on 19 April 2024 and that had sparked a fervent movement of people returning to their hometowns to cast their votes. This surge has brought several cities, including Chennai, Coimbatore, and Tirupur, to a standstill.

With 39 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry, political parties have vigorously campaigned over the past month in hopes of securing victory. As the campaigning draws to a close, anticipation for the elections has peaked, prompting many to prioritize their civic duty and travel back to their roots.

The timing of the elections, falling on a Friday with the subsequent Saturday and Sunday declared holidays, has facilitated this mass exodus to hometowns. Consequently, Chennai has witnessed a significant increase in traffic along major routes like GST Road, Anna Road, and Nehru Road, with congestion extending all the way to Chengalpattu. Railway stations have also experienced heavy footfall, with trains like Pallavan, Vaigai, and others overflowing with passengers, some even occupying reserved compartments without tickets.

In this situation the passengers flocked to Kilambakkam, Chennai on 18 April 2024, eager to journey to their hometowns to cast their votes. However, chaos ensued when they found themselves amidst a sudden protest in the dead of night, triggered by the lack of bus facilities.

Despite the Tamil Nadu Transport Department announcing special services planned to cover various regions of the state through government transport corporations, the bus terminals, especially those operating routes to Coimbatore, Madurai, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Puducherry, Villupuram, and Thiruvannamalai districts, experienced overwhelming crowds of travelers. This led to overcrowded platforms and buses.

The frustrated passengers, who had assembled in anticipation of their rides to their hometowns, erupted into protests, citing insufficient bus availability. Post-midnight, bus frequencies dwindled, exacerbating the situation. Although special election buses were deployed, they were largely pre-booked, leaving many stranded in Kilambakkam without transportation. In a display of their discontent, some took to blocking the national highway, causing significant traffic disruptions.

Police intervention ensued as protesters attempted to occupy buses, leading to negotiations to defuse the tension. Alternative transportation arrangements were eventually arranged, but the congestion at the Kilambakkam bus station persisted amid the upheaval.

Previously in February 2024, the Kilambakkam Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus (KCBT) faced escalating public dissatisfaction and demonstrations over the restricted bus operations. This led to extended waiting times and reported bus shortages, particularly evident during festivals. The DMK Transport Minister, Sivasankar, stated that buses were only running to Trichy, with no availability for other destinations, citing safety concerns for long-distance travelers beyond certain hours. This practice of limiting bus operations between 12 o’clock and 4 o’clock is longstanding, attributed to safety concerns on National Highways with heavy lorry traffic during those hours. However, despite efforts to address the situation by increasing bus services and arranging special buses, the issues persist.

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