CHENNAI: The Metropolitan Transport Corporation has drawn up plans to procure 20 air-conditioned electric double-decker buses under the gross cost contract model, marking a significant step in its fleet electrification programme. According to a tender floated on January 8, a pre-bid meeting is scheduled to be held on January 13 at 3 pm.
Under the gross cost contract, the buses will be owned and maintained by the contractor, while the MTC will make payments on a per-kilometre basis and retain the fare revenue.
The move signals the return of double-decker buses to Chennai after a gap of more than 17 years, though in a modern, electric form. Sources in the MTC said the proposed induction has renewed public interest, especially after an electric double-decker bus manufactured by Switch Mobility was recently spotted on city roads, drawing wide attention on social media.
Officials, however, said the buses would be operated only on select routes due to infrastructure constraints. Adequate vertical clearance is a key requirement, and routes with low bridges, overhead cables or other obstructions are unsuitable for such services.
The proposal mirrors similar initiatives in other cities. Mumbai introduced the country’s first air-conditioned electric double-decker buses in January 2023, while Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar have also rolled out such services. Thiruvananthapuram currently operates open-top double-decker buses.
All the proposed buses are designed, developed and manufactured by Switch Mobility, which conducted a trial run of an electric double-decker bus in Chennai in August 2023. The trial followed an announcement by the Transport Minister that the feasibility of operating double-decker buses on select tourist routes would be studied.
Chennai’s association with double-decker buses dates back to the 1970s. After being discontinued in the 1980s, the services were revived in 1997 and operated on the High Court to Tambaram route until 2008, before being withdrawn again.