Transport Minister reviews low-floor AC bus production in Ennore

CHENNAI: Minister for Transport A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban on Thursday inspected the progress of manufacturing low-floor air-conditioned electric buses at Switch Mobility's facility in Ennore, ahead of the rollout of the second phase of Chennai's electric bus programme. The minister directed the company to expedite production and deliver the buses within the stipulated timeline.

The Tamil Nadu government has planned to induct 750 low-floor air-conditioned electric buses in the second phase, following the operation of 625 such buses under the Chennai City Partnership Sustainable Urban Services Programme (CCP-SUSP), implemented with financial support from the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

During the visit, the minister reviewed the progress of bus production and inspected various stages of the manufacturing and design process. He also sought details from company officials on the status of production and stressed the need to complete the work on schedule.

According to the government, the decision to induct more low-floor air-conditioned electric buses is in line with Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's direction to strengthen public transport with modern, environmentally friendly buses.

Transport Secretary L Nirmal Raj, MTC Managing Director T Mohan, OHM Chief Operating Officer E Nagarajan, Switch Mobility Chief Operating Officer H Shanmugavel, and other senior officials were present during the inspection.