Public transport services, especially in Chennai, on Thursday failed with thousands of voters travelling to their native towns and villages to exercise their franchise left stranded.
Traffic snarls were reported from across the city through the night of April 22 - many complained it took over five hours to reach a distance of 35 km, even as travellers held impromptu protests at the Kilambakkam mofussil bus terminus against the lack of bus services.
Cities like Chennai and Coimbatore generally witnesses huge rush on the eve of election day as thousands of people travel to cast their votes. Though there was huge rush during 2019, 2021, and 2024 polls, a cursory reading of television footage reveal that the number of people travelling this time could be high, especially youngsters.
"It took over five hours to reach Kilambakkam from Koyambedu in Chennai by a bus. Reached the terminus at 4 am and now going home," K A Punnaivalavan, a journalist, wrote on his X page. He also said youngsters, who were frustrated, shouted slogans seeking to know what happened to "1 lakh buses."
Tamil Nadu assembly elections 2026 | Video of plane full of voters heading home to vote goes viralThe State Transport Corporation said it had arranged about 2,000 special buses from Chennai to several places but passengers complained that they were inadequate. "Where are the buses? We are standing here for the past few hours?" a woman asked at the Kilambakkam bus terminus.
Even in Coimbatore, huge crowd was seen at Singanallur bus terminus where people complained about lack of proper bus services.