more-in With the transport employees withdrawing their strike much to the relief of the harried travellers, the police on Friday opened temporary bus stands in the city to regulate the Pongal festival rush. As the Central and Chathiram bus stands started teeming with people, the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation has also started operating specials to Chennai and other destinations from Friday. On Friday evening, the temporary bus stands – one near the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus depot close to Sona Mina theatre on Williams Road and the other near the Mannarpuram Traffic island started functioning. The temporary bus stands would function till January 18. All Thanjavur route buses would be operated from the temporary bus stand on Williams Road while Madurai and Pudukottai route buses would ply from Mannarpuram. Buses coming from Pudukottai, Madurai and other southern districts would drop passengers at Mannarpuram. Buses proceeding to other cities and towns would be operated as usual from the central bus stand, a press release from the city police said. Arrangements have been made to operate shuttle services from the Central bus stand to the temporary bus stand at Mannarpuram by the TNSTC. Basic facilities such as temporary passenger shelters, drinking water and toilet facilities have been provided by the Corporation. Adequate security arrangements would also be made, the police said. The city police have been opening the temporary bus stands during festival seasons since 2013 to ease the traffic congestion at Central Bus Stand. In an attempt to ensure free flow of traffic, City Police Commissioner A. Amalraj said that no vehicle would be allowed to be parked on road sides along the city stretch of the national highways. Buses should pick up and drop passengers only at designated halts and not at traffic signals and other points, he said. Complaints, if any regarding violations, can be lodged over the telephone by dialling 100 or sending a message to the Commissioner on Whatsapp to 9626273399. Meanwhile, a senior official of the TNSTC, Tiruchi, said about 200 special buses would be operated on Tiruchi-Chennai-Tiruchi route on Friday and Saturday/Sunday. About 25 specials each would be operated to destinations such as Salem, Coimbatore and Tiruppur, he said. Specials would also be operated early next week after the holidays.

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