As diwali celebrations wind down across tamil Nadu, thousands of people are heading back to Chennai after spending the festive weekend in their hometowns. Anticipating the traditional post-Diwali travel chaos, the Tamil Nadu government and indian Railways have stepped in with strategic relief measures to ensure safer, smoother, and more staggered travel.

Here’s a look at the 7 most important things you need to know about the post-Diwali travel arrangements for 2025.

🗓️ 1. october 21 Declared as Public Holiday in tamil Nadu

To reduce the stress of last-minute, single-day travel:

· Chief minister M.K. Stalin has declared October 21 (Tuesday) as a public holiday across tamil Nadu.

· This gives people an extra day to return to work, easing pressure on buses, trains, and roads.

🚄 2. Special Trains Announced by Southern Railway

In coordination with the state government:

· indian Railways has announced dozens of special trains to Chennai from cities like Madurai, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, Nagercoil, Salem, and Trichy.

· These trains are scheduled across October 20–22, helping spread out the return rush.

🧳 3. More Coaches Added to Existing Trains

To accommodate high demand, Southern Railway is:

· Temporarily adding extra sleeper and AC coaches to popular long-distance trains.

· Priority given to high-traffic routes connecting southern districts with Chennai.

🚌 4. TNSTC Boosts bus Services from Rural Areas

Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) has:

· Added hundreds of additional buses on key return routes to chennai and major cities.

· 24x7 helpline and live bus tracking are available via TNSTC’s official app.

🚦 5. traffic police to Manage Highway Congestion

The transport department has:

· Deployed additional highway patrol teams and traffic management units to reduce jams on major routes like GST Road, Trichy Highway, and ECR.

· Checkposts for speed and overload monitoring will be active till october 22.

🏙️ 6. Flexible Work from home Option for Govt Staff

The tamil Nadu government has advised departments to:

· Allow work-from-home or flexible office hours on october 22, especially for employees returning from outstation travel.

📢 7. Public Urged to Pre-Book and Avoid Overcrowding

Authorities have urged travellers to:

· Pre-book tickets for trains and buses.

· Avoid crowding stations last minute or relying on unreserved travel.

🎯 Final Word

The combined efforts of the TN government and indian Railways aim to make post-Diwali travel more humane and less hectic. With proactive planning and staggered movement, the hope is to turn a potential travel nightmare into a smooth journey home.

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