Chennai's iconic double-decker buses are set to return to the city's streets next year, this time as electric vehicles. The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) will procure these buses as part of the World Bank-funded Chennai City Partnership Programme project.
The procurement will occur under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model in the project's second phase. Under this model, a private company will own, operate, and maintain the electric buses, while MTC will manage the routes and fares. The private operator will be compensated based on a fixed cost per kilometer, with MTC collecting bus fares and receiving viability gap funding from the State government.
Last August, Chennai-based Ashok Leyland's EV arm, Switch Mobility, conducted a test run of an electric double-decker bus in the city. This test run followed Transport Minister SS Sivasankar's announcement to explore the feasibility of operating double-decker buses on tourist routes.
Chennai's history with double-decker buses dates back to the 1970s. These buses were initially taken off the roads in the 1980s but reintroduced in 1997, operating on the 18 A route from High Court to Tambaram until 2008. However, double-decker buses can only be operated on routes with sufficient vertical clearance, free from low bridges, cables, and other obstructions.
In addition to the double-decker buses, MTC will soon float bids to procure 500 e-buses for the programme's second phase. The first phase already includes a tender for 500 e-buses' procurement, supply, operation, and maintenance under the GCC model. The Rs 9.6-billion project will see the international aid agency contribute 70% of the funds, with the State government covering the remaining 30%.
This initiative follows Mumbai's introduction of the country's first double-decker AC electric buses in January 2023, replacing their diesel counterparts. The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation also plans to procure double-decker electric buses, indicating a nationwide shift towards electric public transportation.
