The Vellore zone of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) on Saturday, temporarily suspended more than 30 buses, mostly to Tirupati and Kalahasti, due to tension in key towns like Chittoor, Chandragiri and Tirupati, following the clashes between TDP and YSRCP cadres in Andhra Pradesh, on August 4, 2023.
Transport officials said that bus services from the new terminus on Katpadi Road, off the Chennai - Bengaluru Highway (NH 44), in Vellore were stopped at around 6.30 a.m. after officials of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) warned of a risk to the lives of commuters, and property damage. “We are observing the situation in the neighbouring State. Once normalcy returns, buses will be operated,” K. Ponpandi, DGM (Commercial), TNSTC (Vellore), told The Hindu.
At present, 30 buses of the Corporation are operated between Tirupati and Vellore, Kallakuruchhi, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Chinna Salem and Neyveli round the clock. Buses also run between Gudiyatam and Palamuru and Madanapalli towns in Andhra Pradesh. All these bus services have been halted, following the clashes between TDP and YSRCP workers. Five TNSTC buses that got struck at Tirupati after the clashes managed to returned to the depot in Vellore and Villupuram on Saturday, officials said.
TNSTC officials said that commuters, especially pilgrims from Tamil Nadu will have to bear with the sudden inconvenience and should travel by train to go to Tirupati and Kalahasti for the next few days.
Meanwhile, TNSTC (Vellore) will operate a total of 185 special buses, covering termini in Vellore, Arcot, Ambur, Sholinghur, Tirupattur, Pernambut and Gudiyatham from August 7-10 in view of the anticipated surge in travel demand during the Aadi Krithigai festival.
Apart from these buses, special buses will also be operated to pilgrim centres like Ratnagiri (Ranipet), Vallimalai (Katpadi), Muthukumaran Malai (Gudiyatham) and Palamathi Hills (Vellore) on August 9, 2023, TNSTC officials said.
