18 new minibus services flagged off in Tirupur

COIMBATORE: Minister for information and publicity M P Saminathan and minister for human resources management N Kayalvizhi flagged off 18 new minibuses from Tirupur city new bus stand on Tuesday morning.

The district administration identified 86 routes to operate minibuses to remote villages from Tirupur city for a stretch of 25 km.

In the first phase, the minibus service was inaugurated for 18 routes on Tuesday, and bus services will be provided to the rest of the routes in the future.

Minister Saminathan said that the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation allotted 97 buses for the Tirupur zone from 2021. District collector T Christuraj, mayor N Dineshkumar and officials from various departments took part in the inaugural ceremony.

27 minibus routes identified in Nilgiris

Later, minister Saminathan inaugurated new minibus services in the Nilgiris.

After flagging off minibuses from Kotagiri bus stand, Saminathan announced that at least 27 routes have been identified for minibus operations in the Nilgiris. In the first phase of the programme, permits have been issued for services on five routes. He handed over minibus operation permits to five private operators.

“The initial routes include Coonoor-Kamarajapuram, Kolappalli-Nayakan Solai, and Melpattavayal to Melpattavayal, among others,” the minister stated, adding, “The maximum distance for minibus operation has been extended to 25 km.”

He emphasized that the newly launched services would benefit farmers by facilitating the transportation of their produce to consumer markets. Saminathan noted that services for the remaining identified routes would be introduced in a phased manner.

District collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru was present on the occasion.