CHENNAI: Preparations gather pace for the induction of 750 new electric buses under the second phase of Chennai’s electric mobility programme as Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) Managing Director Prabhushankar on Saturday inspected the ongoing renovation works at Central Depot–2.
The inspection involved on the proposed depot layout, infrastructure requirements and facility development works required to support the expanded electric bus fleet. Joint Managing Director R Sundharapandian and other officials accompanied the MD during the visit.
The inspection comes days after MTC officials reviewed prototype AC and non-AC electric buses at the manufacturing facility of Switch Mobility. The new buses, to be inducted under Phase-2 of the World Bank-supported Chennai City Partnership programme, incorporate several passenger comfort and accessibility improvements based on commuter feedback received during the first phase.
Earlier, former Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin had laid the foundation stone for the project on March 2. Under Phase-2, MTC plans to induct 750 low-floor electric buses at a cost of Rs 1,337.50 crore, comprising 500 AC and 250 non-AC buses.
To support the larger fleet, MTC is upgrading existing depots with charging infrastructure while also developing new electric bus depots. The depot and charging infrastructure component of the project has been estimated at Rs 289.69 crore.