Overview
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay flagged off 130 low‑floor, air‑conditioned electric buses for Chennai on Tuesday, Aug 25, marking the first operational tranche of the second phase.
- The 130 buses form part of a Rs 1,337 crore procurement to buy 750 AC electric buses that will raise Chennai’s two‑phase electric fleet to 1,375 vehicles when fully deployed.
- At the same event the government also flagged off 120 conventional buses, bringing the total number of vehicles launched that day to 250 with an estimated combined value reported at about Rs 290.08 crore.
- The new electric buses will be based at seven depots named by MTC — Alandur, Central Depot‑II, Perambur, Padianallur, Avadi, K.K. Nagar and Iyyappanthangal — and will be phased into service as depot charging and maintenance facilities are installed; MTC has released initial route and service details for the first batch.
- The low‑floor AC design is intended to improve boarding for older adults and people with disabilities and to boost comfort in Chennai’s heat, while actual emissions benefits will depend on the electricity mix and how quickly the fleet replaces diesel services and increases frequency on busy corridors.