CHENNAI: The state government has sanctioned Rs 500 crore to procure 1,000 new air-conditioned electric buses for the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) and create necessary infrastructure at bus depots to facilitate the operation of the vehicles. Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has issued orders for the procurement of the buses under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model during the current financial year.
At present, Chennai has 755 electric buses operated by the MTC, of which 355 are air-conditioned. The addition of 1,000 new buses would also help reduce pollution while providing improved services and comfort to passengers, read a press note. It may be recalled that the MTC has an ongoing tender process to procure 1,000 electric buses, which is in the opening stage.
In a separate announcement, the CM sanctioned `17.99 crore for installing Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTDs) and panic buttons in buses operated by the eight state transport corporations.
The project would cover 13,490 buses with vehicle location tracking devices and 13,776 panic button units. Transport Minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban made a related announcement in the Assembly on September 8. The devices, conforming to AIS 140 standards, would be linked to a Central Control Centre, enabling real-time monitoring of bus locations, speed, adherence to designated routes and emergency alerts. Passengers can use the panic buttons during emergencies to alert the control centre. The system would help authorities immediately identify vehicle location and coordinate with other officials to offer swift assistance.