CM C Joseph Vijay Flags Off 300 New Buses From Chennai Secretariat

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday flagged off 300 newly procured buses at the Secretariat in Chennai. The initiative aims to modernize the public transport system across Tamil Nadu, with the new vehicles being distributed among eight state transport corporations, including Chennai's Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC).

Following the inauguration ceremony at the Secretariat, Chief Minister Vijay took a ride in one of the newly launched buses. The bus he travelled in is scheduled to operate on the Perambur route. He was accompanied on the ride by Transport Minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban along with other department officials.

The procurement of these 300 buses was completed at a total cost of Rs 127.21 crore. The new fleet introduces cleaner energy options to the state's transit system, consisting of 164 diesel-run buses and 136 buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG).

Out of the total 300 vehicles, Chennai's MTC is set to receive the highest share with 65 buses being added to its local fleet. The remaining buses will be distributed among the other seven state transport corporations to boost regional connectivity.

Transport Minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban shared the specific allocation details for the remaining transport corporations. According to the minister, the Kumbakonam corporation will receive 49 additional buses, while the Tirunelveli corporation will get 44. The Madurai corporation has been allocated 42 buses.

The Salem corporation is set to receive 39 buses, and the Villupuram corporation will get 36. For the Coimbatore corporation, the allocation includes 25 buses, with another 25 buses also being added to its fleet.

Currently, the eight state transport corporations operate a total fleet of 21,527 buses. These corporations collectively serve a massive commuter base, with approximately 2.05 crore passengers relying on these public bus services every day across the state.