CHENNAI: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday announced that senior citizens above 60 can travel free from February 24 in all MTC buses, except air-conditioned ones. This fulfills the AIADMK promise made during the 2011 Assembly election.
She said 10 tokens would be given to each senior citizen every month and those willing could submit the application along with their photographs. They would be given an identity card and the tokens.
The experimental scheme in Chennai would be extended to other parts of the State based on public response.
Making a suo motu statement in the State Assembly, the CM took pride in announcing that the free bus pass for senior citizens would fulfill the AIADMK government’s 2011 poll promises. “Apart from the electoral promises, the government headed by me had implemented many other welfare measures,” she added.
The application form would be available at specific bus depots to be mentioned soon in the Metropolitan Transport Corporation website. No deadline had been fixed for the scheme. The application can be downloaded from http://www.mtcbus.org/Documents/seniorcitizensfreebuspass_instruction.pdf.
Jayalalithaa said the 2011 election manifesto had given a detailed outline of the government to be formed.