MTC double-deckers to return in electric avatar under NCAP
Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC), long known as the city's public transport backbone, is preparing to don a new role as driver of heritage and recreational tourism.
With 20 electric double-decker buses sanctioned under the national clean air programme (NCAP), MTC plans to operate these vehicles on heritage routes on weekends, and on high-demand routes on weekdays.
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The project, with an investment of 10crore under NCAP, will follow the gross cost contract model, where a private contractor will operate the buses and be paid per kilometre.
State govt will retain control over route planning and fare fixation.
"We will be calling for tenders soon, and the buses are expected to roll out by year-end," said T Prabhushankar, managing director, MTC. "Apart from their regular use, these buses will run on select tourist circuits on weekends when commuter patronage is low. These tours will be pre-booked." Proposed heritage routes include Anna Salai, Kamarajar Salai, and other arterial roads, as well as East Coast Road leading to Mahabalipuram.
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"We are planning to onboard tourist guides who can narrate the history of landmarks along the way," he added.
Chennai follows the lead of cities such as Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai, which have recently reintroduced electric double-decker buses. For Chennaiites, the sight of double-deckers evokes strong nostalgia. First introduced in the 1970s, they were taken off the roads in the 1980s, brought back briefly in 1997, and ran on the 18A route from high court to Tambaram until 2008.
Sriharan Balan, chairman of SICCI tourism committee, described it as a 'big bus' concept. "These buses are popular in many cities across the world, often operating as hop-on hop-off services. Here, it's being introduced as a scheduled ride, so the experience will be different. This is a welcome move the city needs more attractions to boost its tourism appeal."
Electric double-decker buses are not only environmentally friendly but also highly efficient, with a capacity of nearly 90 passengers about 1.5 times that of a single-decker electric bus.
In a city such as Chennai, where buses often run overcrowded, introducing these double-deckers on high-demand corridors can significantly enhance passenger comfort, as they are particularly effective on short-distance, high-ridership routes with limited height restrictions.
Mumbai's BEST currently operates 50 AC electric double-deckers, deployed as feeders to suburban train stations, and plans to expand the fleet to 1,000. For Chennai, adopting low-floor electric double-deckers would not only improve accessibility for all passengers, including the elderly and differently-abled, but if well-marketed, they could be a signature of Chennai's public transport system, much like London's red double-deckers, while promoting sustainable urban mobility.
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