Families Exit City On Bikes, Autos; Buses Packed

Thousands leave city with belongings

Families Exit City On Bikes, Autos; Buses Packed

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:24.05.2021

Thousands left Chennai for their native places on Sunday ahead of the extended total lockdown till May 31 in Tamil Nadu. With a limited number of buses operated, families of three or four were seen exiting the city on two-wheelers, while a few left in autorickshaws and minitrucks with their belongings.

According to official data from the transport department, more than 65,746 passengers left in 1,331 government buses from Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT) and Tambaram on Saturday and Sunday (until 6pm). In other parts of the state, around 5.94 lakh passengers travelled in 3,662 special buses during the weekend.

There was no mad rush at CMBT as seen ahead of the total lockdown in May 2020. However, almost all the buses ran packed. “But no passenger was allowed to travel standing,” said C Samayamoorthy, state transport secretary.

The exodus was smaller than last year as many left for their natives places on May 9, when restrictions increased as the state entered its14-day lockdown from May10-24.

The government’s decision to operate 1,500 buses from Chennai to other districts, however, has attracted criticism from various quarters as this could spread disease to rural areas and places where the infection rate is less compared to Chennai.

At Perungalathur bus stand, wait time for buses was long and private vans, cabs were seen offering ride-sharing services at exorbitant rates. “We have been waiting for more than two hours. All buses reaching Perungalathur are packed. We have no option but to pay what the van operators demand to reach our destinations before the curfew begins,” said Divakaran, who paid ₹1,500 to reach Madurai.

Mini-trucks and share autos were also in great demand as many left the city with all their belongings including furniture and electronics, anticipating the stay at their native place would get longer. Movement of such vans and three or four of a family riding a twowheeler was a common sight at the Chengalpet toll plaza, where the district police checked e-registration receipts.

In Coimbatore, Madurai and Salem, which act as transit points to tier-II cities, smaller towns and villages, passengers complained of shortage of buses. In Tirupur, people resorted to protests.

Speaking to reporters from Madurai, transport minister S Rajakanappan said, “Roughly 40% buses are being operated as there was not much crowd. However, additional buses  (400) are available in case demand increases late in the evening”. Despite his warning, private omni buses charged ₹1,500 or more for inter-district bus commute from TN.

TAKING ANY WAY OUT: A family of four leaving the city seen on a two-wheeler at the Chengalpet toll plaza on Sunday