THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, September 16, 2026: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will operate 65 special bus services to facilitate the travel of devotees and passengers during the upcoming Navaratri festival.
The special services will connect Bengaluru, Mysuru and Chennai with Thiruvananthapuram, providing additional transportation options for people travelling to Kerala for the festival and related religious events. The decision was announced following a meeting chaired by Devaswom Minister K. Muralidharan to review Navaratri preparations.
The arrangements are linked to the traditional Navaratri idol procession, which begins in Tamil Nadu before entering Kerala through the Kaliakkavilai border. The procession is scheduled to reach the Navaratri Mandapam in front of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram on the evening of October 11.
The three main idols — Goddess Saraswati from Thevarakkettu at Padmanabhapuram Palace, Munnuttinanka Devi from Suchindram and Kumaraswamy from Kumarakovil — will be carried in the traditional procession. The idols will subsequently be installed at designated temples and venues in Thiruvananthapuram.
The 10-day Navaratri puja is scheduled to be held from October 12 to October 21, followed by the return procession on October 23.
Apart from transport arrangements, authorities are making additional preparations along the procession route. Fire and Rescue personnel, a Health Department medical team and an ambulance will accompany the procession. Officials have also been instructed to expedite road repairs and ensure compliance with safety regulations, including rules governing elephant management.
The additional KSRTC services are expected to help manage increased passenger demand from neighbouring states and provide smoother connectivity for devotees travelling to Kerala during the festival period.
