Electric MTC buses hit the roads; free for women

Chennai: A glimpse of electric buses bearing MTC (Metropolitan Transport Corporation) logo on the Chennai-Trichy highway has generated buzz among transport watchers.

Funded by a German bank, the buses will run under the ‘Vidiyal Perunthu Payana Thittam', with free rides for women. Each bus has 35 seats and one wheelchair-accessible slot, with charging times ranging from 60 to 120 minutes for full capacity. Quick charging sessions of 10 to 30 minutes are planned at end-of-trip depots. Depots, including Pallavan Illam and Adyar, are being upgraded with charging infrastructure.

"It's encouraging to see the e-buses finally make it to the roads. Their low-floor design improves accessibility for persons with disabilities, senior citizens and women," said Santhapriyan Kamaraj of TNSTC Enthusiasts, a public transport advocacy group. "However, since these are non-AC buses, there's growing demand for air-conditioned services especially with summer around the corner."

These non-AC low-floor buses are part of the 950-strong fleet announced for Chennai, with 625 buses AC and non-AC arriving in the first batch. Built by Ashok Leyland at its Trichy unit, the buses were headed to its Switch Mobility plant in Oragadam for final processing.

Switch, the electric vehicle arm of Leyland, may also operate these buses under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model, where the state pays a per-kilometre fee to a private firm that runs and maintains the buses. MTC staff will not drive these vehicles; instead, the operator will handle all service responsibilities.