Chennai MTC to Get 625 Electric Buses from July, TN to Add 3,000 New Buses Soon

Key Highlights:

• 625 electric buses to join the MTC fleet from July.

• 600 more e-buses planned in the second phase.

• 3,000 new TN buses include 746 CNG units.

• 11,907 buses are planned under various schemes.

• A total of 8,129 new buses to be added soon.

Chennai's Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) will soon introduce 625 electric buses starting in July 2025 under a World Bank-funded scheme. This is part of a larger plan to add 1,225 electric buses under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model.

Under this model, private companies will operate and maintain the buses and deploy the drivers. MTC will decide the bus routes and provide conductors to collect fares. The remaining 600 electric buses will be added in the second phase, for which tenders have already been floated.

3,000 New Buses for Tamil Nadu, Including 746 CNG Buses

Tamil Nadu will also see 3,000 new buses on its roads soon. Out of these, 746 will be powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) to help reduce air pollution.

Transport Minister SS Sivasankarmade this announcement while responding to a discussion on the Transport Department’s budget. He said these buses are part of a larger plan to improve public transport across the state.

Over 11,000 New Buses Planned by the Government

The state government has planned the purchase of 11,907 new buses through funding from various sources, such as the German development bank KfW, the World Bank, the state government, and special area development programs.

Out of this number:

• 3,778 buses have already been added

• 3,468 more will be included by March 2026

Details of Bus Procurement So Far

From 2022-23 to 2024-25, Tamil Nadu announced the procurement of 5,000 buses at a cost of ₹2,401 crore. Out of these, 3,210 have already joined the fleet, and the remaining buses will be added soon.

Under the KfW funding:

• 552 low-floor buses have already been added

• Tenders are floated for 1,614 diesel buses and 500 electric buses

Future Plans: 9,161 More Buses to Be Procured

In addition to the 11,907 planned buses, the government will also purchase 9,161 more buses in various phases. This includes:

• 7,661 diesel or CNG buses

• 1,500 electric buses under the KfW funding

Total New Buses to be Added

Minister Sivasankar said a total of 8,129 new buses will be added in the coming years, aiming to strengthen public transport and improve air quality across Tamil Nadu.

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CMV360 Says

Tamil Nadu is taking major steps to improve public transport by adding over 8,000 new buses, including electric and CNG models. These efforts aim to reduce pollution and offer better travel options. With strong support from global agencies, the state is moving towards a cleaner and more efficient transport system.