The introduction of extra buses to clear Deepavali rush may have brought cheer to many but has upset commuters and motorists in the city.
On Friday, K. Rajesh, a resident of Thiruverkadu, was on his way to Koyambedu to board a bus to Madurai to visit a prospective bride. But his plans changed after he got stuck in a heavy traffic jam near Maduravoyal and failed to board the bus.
Many like him had a gruelling experience in Koyambedu and surrounding areas over the past two days. Traffic flow was affected due to the large number of special Deepavali buses operating from the Koyambedu bus terminus.
The government introduced 1,000 additional buses to cater to those travelling to the districts from the city and vice-versa. Police said, on Friday evening, there was heavy rush at the Chennai moffusil bus terminus when the new buses were operated.
Due to this, traffic came to a standstill near the terminus. T.K. Pandian, a commuter headed to the city from Chengalpet, was among those affected. “The bus was stuck at the Maduravoyal-Poonamalee junction for two hours in the evening. I got off the bus and walked to Anna Nagar,” he said.
To add to their woes, commuters were greeted by autorickshaw drivers who took advantage of the crowds and charged exorbitant fares. “They demanded Rs. 200 for a distance of two kilometres. There were no policemen to manage the situation,” said Mr. Pandian.
The problems did not end with Friday. Many who those who missed their buses on Friday thronged the Koyambedu terminus on Saturday morning.
Though motorists spoke of traffic snarls on Saturday evening too, the traffic police said the chaos cleared by 9 a.m. on Saturday.
