CHENNAI: The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) will soon be rolling out Rs 2,000 monthly passes, which will enable pass holders to commute on all MTC services, including AC buses.
This coincides with the planned launch of 225 AC electric buses from May onwards. Currently, the Rs 1,000 monthly passes only allow travel on non-AC buses, such as deluxe, express, night services, and ordinary buses.
The decision was primarily driven by the growing demand from commuters travelling in the IT corridor, ECR, and western suburban areas, including Tambaram and Kilambakkam.
“The new pass will allow commuters to travel on all types of buses operated by the corporation, covering both city and suburban areas in neighbouring districts,” said T Prabhushankar, MD of MTC.
Currently, MTC’s fleet comprises 3,056 buses, including 50 AC buses that primarily serve Thiruporur, Siruseri Tech Park, KCBT, and other areas. These AC buses operate on routes such as Thiruvanmiyur-Central railway station, Broadway-Tambaram/Vandalur, Tambaram-Thiruvanmiyur, Broadway-Guduvanchery, Perambur-Thiruvanmiyur, and CMBT-Siruseri/Thiruporur.
MTC officials said the demand for AC bus monthly passes is currently limited to commuters travelling on the ECR and IT corridors. However, this demand is expected to grow significantly once the new AC electric buses are introduced. “Out of the 650 electric buses proposed to be added to the MTC fleet, 225 will be AC buses. This will likely lead to a substantial increase in the number of people opting for the Rs 2,000 monthly passes,” an official said.
MTC offers the ‘Travel As You Please’ pass for Rs 1,000, allowing commuters to take unlimited trips on all non-AC buses. The corporation also issues route-specific passes priced between Rs 320 and Rs 670, depending on the distance. Official data reveals that MTC sells about 65,000 to 75,000 monthly passes each month.
R Gnanavel, a resident of Thiruporur who had requested such passes from MTC, said, “Only after the opening of the new depot on OMR were we able to purchase Rs 1,000 monthly passes here. The IT corridor lacks local train services, making monthly AC bus passes essential to meet the transportation needs.”
MTC serves about 32 lakh commuters daily, operating buses on 630 routes. On an average, each bus carries about 905 passengers per day.
Fact file
The Rs 1,000 ‘Travel As You Please’ monthly pass allows commuters to travel on all MTC buses, except AC buses
The price of the monthly route-specific pass starts at Rs 320 and can go up to Rs 670, depending on the distance
The proposed Rs 2,000 monthly pass will also permit travel on AC buses
Currently, 50 AC buses are in operation. An additional 225 electric AC buses will be introduced from May/June
MTC issues 65,000 to 70,000 passes every month
An online recharge facility for smart card-based monthly passes is also under consideration
Currently, monthly passes are available at designated sales counters in bus depots and bus stands