CHENNAI: MTC has floated a tender to procure 500 low-floor e-buses on the Gross Cost Contract Basis.

According to MTC sources, the e-buses are being procured as part of the World Bank-funded Chennai City Partnership: Chennai Sustainable Urban Services Program.

The MTC would procure 500 buses through the gross cost contract (GCC) basis where privately owned buses would be operated on the corporation routes. The private company would operate and maintain the e-buses. The company would be paid a fixed amount based on per km operation while the MTC would get ticketing revenue. The company would set up charging stations at the MTC depots.

This is the second e-bus procurement tender floated for the MTC.

The Institute of Road Transport had already invited bids for procuring 100 e-buses on the GCC model under the KfW-funded Climate Friendly Modernisation of Buses project.

In the KfW project, MTC would get 300 e-buses out of the 500 e-buses.