CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday flagged off 120 low-floor electric, non-AC buses from the Vyasarpadi Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) depot. This marks the first time that e-buses have been introduced by a state-run transport undertaking (MTC) in Tamil Nadu.
Each electric bus when fully recharged, which takes up to two hours, can be operated for 200 km. The electric buses have been provided with emergency panic buttons at 13 places, 4 surveillance cameras, one mobile charging point for every two seats, and public announcement system.
CM Stalin also inaugurated an electric charging station set up at a cost of Rs 47.5 crore. Aimed at reducing environmental pollution, the new fleet, procured at a cost of Rs 207.9 crore, is part of the Chennai Sustainable Urban Services Program (C-SUSP), a World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)-supported initiative. These ultra-low-floor buses are designed to be accessible for disabled commuters.
1.2K electric buses to be introduced across Chennai
The electric buses feature low-floor seats in the front and high-floor seats in the rear. The floor height of the bus is 400mm, and it can be reduced up to 250mm. Following complaints of poor ventilation in the low-floor buses introduced last year, the MTC has increased the height of the window glass on either side of electric buses to enhance air circulation. It has also introduced a small sliding window for the high-floor seat in the rear.
These 120 buses form part of the first phase of the plan to induct 650 electric buses, with a total of 1,225 electric buses to be introduced across Chennai eventually. The newly-launched buses have been deployed on 11 routes as deluxe services.
Officials from the MTC told TNIE that existing services will not be cut and that the new buses will augment current operations. The e-buses will operate under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model, where the private operator is responsible for building, operating, and maintaining the buses for 12 years.
The MTC will pay Rs 77.16 per km to OHM Global Mobility, a subsidiary of Ashok Leyland and SWITCH Mobility which manufactured the buses. “The MTC-hired conductors on contract have been deployed in these buses. But tickets will only be issued through electronic ticketing machines,” said an official.
The buses are to be introduced in 11 routes — K Kannadasan Nagar to K Kannadasan Nagar (2B, circular route via Anna Square, Central and Vsayarpadi), Broadway-Kilambakkam (18A), K Kannadasan Nagar-K Kannadasan Nagar (C33 circular route via Moolakadai, Choolai, Central and Broadway), K Kannadasan Nagar-K Kannadasan Nagar (C 64 via Moolakadai, Jamalia, Choolai, & Central), Poonamallee-Vallalar Nagar (37), M K B Nagar-MGR Koyambedu (46 G), Vallalar Nagar-Redhills (57), Vallalar Nagar-Periyapalayam (57 X), Manali-Perambur (164 E), M K B Nagar-Kilambakkam (170 TX) and T V K Nagar-Guindy TVK Estate.