MTC set to bring back 20 electric double-decker buses

CHENNAI: Double-decker buses, once a common sight on the streets of Chennai before being ‘extinct’ more than 17 years ago, are all set to make a comeback, albeit in a modern avatar. The Metropolitan Transport Corporation will introduce electric double-decker buses in the city as part of its push to electrify the bus fleet.

Sources in the MTC said tenders would be floated shortly for the procurement of 20 electric double-decker buses. The proposal has renewed interest in the return of double-decker services to the city, particularly after Switch Mobility, the electric vehicle arm of Ashok Leyland, was recently seen operating its electric double-decker bus on Chennai roads, triggering widespread attention on social media.

However, these vehicles would be operated only on select routes. According to Transport Department officials, double-decker buses could not be deployed across all routes due to infrastructure limitations. The most essential aspect is adequate vertical clearance. Hence, routes with low bridges, overhead cables, or other obstructions are unsuitable, given the height of such buses.

The buses measure 9.8 metres in length and 4.75 metres in height, and can accommodate 65 seated passengers, with 35 seats on the upper deck and 30 on the lower deck.

All the electric double-decker buses are designed, developed, and manufactured by Switch Mobility, which had earlier conducted a test run of an electric double-decker bus in Chennai in August 2023.

Chennai has a long history of double-decker bus operations. The services were first introduced in the 1970s but were discontinued in the 1980s. They were reintroduced in 1997 and operated on the 18A route between the High Court and Tambaram until 2008, before being withdrawn once again.