Chennai, Aug 6 (IANS) Chennai is set to expand its electric bus fleet with the launch of 135 new electric buses from the Perumbakkam depot on August 11, nearly a month after rolling out 120 e-buses from the Vyasarpadi depot.

The new fleet includes 55 air-conditioned buses and will operate across 13 routes, significantly improving connectivity along the IT corridor, including the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR).

Key routes include Siruseri to Chennai Airport (MAA 2), CMBT to Kilambakkam (570), Broadway to Kelambakkam (102), T Nagar to Thiruporur (19), Thiruvanmiyur to Kilambakkam (95X), and Kilambakkam to Sholinganallur (555S).

A senior official with the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) of Chennai said, “The fleet addresses the specific needs of IT corridor commuters, which the Vyasarpadi fleet could not cover.”

This rollout marks Chennai’s first deployment of air-conditioned electric buses.

According to MTC Managing Director T. Prabhushankar, AC buses will follow the regular fare, while non-AC buses will adopt the deluxe fare structure.

MTC also plans to introduce 170 more AC electric buses in the near future. The 12-metre buses are part of a Rs 233.75 crore initiative. Each bus features 39 seats, four CCTV cameras, wheelchair ramps, reserved seating for senior citizens and people with disabilities, stop-request buttons, and a kneeling function that lowers the floor to 250mm for easier boarding.

Buses are GPS-enabled and equipped with LED-based stop alerts.

The newly upgraded Perumbakkam depot, developed for Rs 49.56 crore, can charge up to 32 buses simultaneously.

Each bus has a range of 200 km after two hours of charging, matching the infrastructure of the Vyasarpadi depot.

Under the operational model, OHM will handle bus operation and driver appointments, while MTC pays per kilometre of service. “This arrangement allows us to better manage technological and environmental risks and helps address driver shortages,” said Nedunchezhiyan, General Manager, Operations of MTC.

While the Vyasarpadi fleet currently includes three women drivers and 17 women conductors, the Perumbakkam depot is expected to induct more women after training, an OHM spokesperson said.

Both depots are part of MTC’s first phase of electrification, which includes 625 electric buses for Rs 697 crore. Additional buses will be introduced at Central (145), Tondiarpet 1 (100), and Poonamallee (125) by February 2026. Phase 2 will bring in 800 more electric buses across the city.

–IANS

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