Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2026 Voting Live Updates: As voting got underway across all 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu, thousands of voters attempting to travel from Chennai to their hometowns faced severe disruptions since Wednesday night, with traffic congestion and transport shortages. A public holiday had been declared to encourage voter participation, and with a long weekend ahead, many residents of Chennai chose to travel back to their native places to cast their votes. However, the large-scale movement exposed gaps in planning, with commuters reporting long delays and insufficient transport arrangements.

Travel Rush Turns Into Ordeal For Voters

The exodus from Chennai began Wednesday night, with families heading out in large numbers. Yet, the journey proved far from smooth. Allegations surfaced that there were not enough bus services, particularly from Kilambakkam towards southern districts. Many passengers claimed they were stranded for hours, unable to proceed with their journeys.

Social media platforms were flooded with posts from frustrated travellers who said they were still stuck inside buses long after departure, unable to reach their destinations in time to vote.

#traffic #chennai #தமிழ்நாடுசட்டமன்றதேர்தல்2026 #tambaram #Kilambakkam

Journey started at 9pm just now 12.30am reached kilambakkam 😭😭

People are waiting outside #Kilambakkam busstand. pic.twitter.com/kbqRXx75YJ

— Roobesh (@roobesh1888) April 22, 2026

Snarled Traffic Brings Highways To A Crawl

Commuters described unusually long travel times on key routes. What would typically be a short trip turned into a prolonged ordeal, with vehicles inching forward in heavy congestion. It reportedly took nearly three hours to reach Kilambakkam from Perungalathur, while passengers said journeys onward were even slower.

Some travellers noted that buses departing at midnight were only able to cross Melmaruvathur and Tindivanam by dawn. In several cases, passengers claimed it took up to five hours to cover relatively short distances, with no meaningful breaks in the gridlock.

Questions Raised Over Bus Availability

Official figures indicate that nearly 1.89 lakh people had travelled from Chennai to their hometowns using special bus services by the afternoon of April 21, with over 10,000 buses deployed statewide. Despite this, commuters alleged that services were insufficient on key routes, particularly those heading south.

Passengers also complained that private omni bus operators were charging inflated fares, capitalising on the surge in demand. Many said they were forced to wait from early morning until late in the day to secure transport.

The situation triggered protests in some areas. In Poonamallee, residents reportedly blocked roads, citing a shortage of buses to Kanchipuram. Tensions escalated when Tiruvallur District Collector Prathap, who visited the area for inspection, was surrounded by aggrieved commuters demanding immediate action.