CHENNAI: A chunk of government buses which were phased out from service since April 1, when the Centre suspended registration of government vehicles 15 years old, will be redeployed in the next two weeks. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways recently extended the validity of government vehicles over 15-years-old till September 30, 2024. MTC and six other transport corporations have begun the necessary maintenance of buses to obtain fitness certificates.
According to official sources, not all buses which were stopped on April 1 will be redeployed. “Buses that are suitable for redeployment are being identified on a depot-by-depot basis. Alternate buses have been allocated to the routes where these buses were operating before April 1. The reintroduction of buses will be prioritised in high-demand routes,” said an official.
A senior official from TNSTC Villupuram Corporation said about 150 to 160 buses will be put into service in the next 10-15 days. “The assessment of road tax fees according to the revised tariff, fitness certificate procedure, and examination of vehicles is currently underway.”
In Tamil Nadu, the registration of 10,730 vehicles, including 1,686 government buses, that are over 15 years old was suspended from April 1. Among these, the registration of 3,209 inactive vehicles and 2,530 older than 20 years has not been extended. The remaining 6,341 vehicles can continue operating until September 30, revealed the recent G.O. issued by the home transport department.
Earlier, in March this year, the state government in its letter to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways emphasised that government buses serve thousands of commuters in various remote areas throughout the state. These buses were out of operation for two years during the lockdown and thus requested an extension for three years.
An extension was also sought for vehicles used by the fire and rescue department, police, revenue, ambulance services and others engaged in essential work.