Though the IBT witnesses a rush on weekends and auspicious days, the footfall of travellers was heavy on Friday. Most mofussil buses bound for long-distance destinations were running to capacity, making it difficult for passengers to find seats. They had to wait for a long time to catch buses. Passengers jostled for seats, especially on buses bound for Madurai, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari.
Many alleged that the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) had not operated special buses to clear the extra rush during the holiday season. The number of buses operated on Friday was highly insufficient to cater to the number of passengers.
“I waited for more than one hour to catch a bus bound for Madurai. I found it extremely difficult to board a bus as nearly 200 passengers attempted to board it,” said T. Poorvaja, a college student in Tiruchi who wanted to return to her native place.
Agents of Omni Bus operators readily utilised the opportunity to lure passengers. They charged ₹500 per person for travelling up to Madurai, as against ₹115 charged by the TNSTC for a bus from Tiruchi to Madurai.
Ms. Poorvaja said special buses should have been operated to clear the extra rush in view of the three consecutive holidays. The officials should take steps to operate more buses on Monday and Tuesday, as passengers who had travelled to their native places would return to their destinations after the holidays, she said.