T.N. govt to modernise eight bus terminals and depots in the State

<div id="readability-page-1" class="page"><div><div><picture><!--[if IE 9]><video style="display: none;"><![endif]--><source media="(min-width: 1600px)" sizes="960px" srcset="https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/mmgo6y/article71443425.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/DSC_1080.JPG"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1599px)" sizes="640px" srcset="https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/mmgo6y/article71443425.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/DSC_1080.JPG"><source media="(min-width: 321px) and (max-width: 767px)" sizes="400px" srcset="https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/mmgo6y/article71443425.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_660/DSC_1080.JPG"><source media="(max-width: 320px)" sizes="320px" srcset="https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/mmgo6y/article71443425.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_320/DSC_1080.JPG"><!--[if IE 9]></video><![endif]--><img src="https://www.thehindu.com/theme/images/th-online/1x1_spacer.png" alt="A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban" title="A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban" data-original="https://www.thehindu.com/theme/images/th-online/1x1_spacer.png" fetchpriority="high"></picture></div><p> A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban | Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM </p></div><div id="content-body-71443206"><div id="schemaDiv" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Modern passenger amenities and commercial facilities will come up in eight bus terminals and depots in Tamil Nadu, Transport Minister A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban said here on Tuesday.</p><p>While presenting the demands for grants for his department in the Assembly, Mr. Parthiban said, in a bid to improve the infrastructure and finance of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), the bus terminals and depots spread over an area of 35.03 acres would be redeveloped under Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. This would help generate ₹124.28 crore of non-ticket revenue per year.</p><p>For the benefit of 19,000 students from 140 schools in the State, special buses will be operated in rural, hilly and remote areas of the State, which don’t have adequate bus connectivity. These buses will ply according to the school timings in the morning and evening hours, he said.</p><p>Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) will convert 100 of its diesel buses, which are seven years old and in good condition, into electric buses on Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model. For the operation and maintenance of these electric buses, charging and electrical infrastructure facilities will come up at Attanthangal depot at an estimated cost of ₹13.60 crore, he said.</p><p>Mr. Parthiban said, to&nbsp;enhance safety and improve real-time monitoring, vehicle location tracking devices (VLTD) and emergency panic buttons will be fitted in 13,490 buses at a cost of ₹17.99 crore. As these will be linked to a command control centre, the location of the bus, speed, route deviation and emergency alerts will be monitored round the clock.&nbsp;</p><p>Also, the&nbsp;Side Under-run Protection Units (SUPU), which are already present in TNSTC and MTC&nbsp;buses, will now&nbsp;be fitted in 10,524 mofussil buses as well, in a bid to shield passengers, cyclists or pedestrians from getting trapped under the bus, he added.</p><p>The National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), which can currently be used in MTC buses, will be extended to all government buses in the State, he said. This is being done to push for quick and cashless transactions, he added.</p><p>Eight drivers and eight conductors who perform exceedingly well in TNSTC will be chosen every year, and will be given a cash award of ₹50,000 each, and this will be implemented at a cost of ₹10 lakhs, Mr. Parthiban added.</p><p>Integrated freight transport services will be introduced in 9,536 mofussil buses, he said.</p></div><p> Published <span>- September 08, 2026 08:05 pm IST</span></p></div></div>