State to procure 3,000 new buses at Rs 600 crore

Vijayabhaskar conducted a meeting with Managing Directors of all the branches of State Transport Corporations at his office on Tuesday and various important decisions were made in the meeting. The officials were also asked to implement the new initiatives effectively for the welfare of both the public and the employees of TNSTC.

After the meeting, the Minister said that in the present financial year 2018-19, Transport policy would be framed by the Department and to modernise the department completely. 

As part of modernisation, all the branches of State Transport Corporation would be linked with a common network and successful practices that are prevailing in foreign countries would be incorporated. To give a boost to conservation of nature the Transport Department is planning to introduce electric or battery-operated buses.

 Also, in this year, the transport department had planned to buy 3,000 new buses, at the cost of Rs 600 crore, said the Minister. He also said that the state government had been fulfilling all its promises made to the people. 

In 2016, the Transport Department had announced that 2,000 new buses would be introduced at the cost of Rs 516 crore and as announced the final set of 515 buses, with advanced technologies, at the cost of Rs 134.52 crore was launched.  

Similarly, the department had disbursed 2,247.39 crore of pending amount to its employees. 

In the year 2016-17, the State Transport Corporation had bagged 11 out of 35 awards given by Association of State Road Transport Undertakings (ASRTU), which shows that the department is committed towards the welfare of the people and its employees, said the Minister.