newskig
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government’s plan to expand minibus services is facing opposition from the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) and six other divisions of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), as well as the transport workers’ union. This opposition was voiced during a public hearing held by the Home (Transport) department in Chennai on Monday.
Last month, the department issued a draft for the New Comprehensive Mini Bus Scheme 2024. This plan aims to improve bus connectivity in Chennai, Coimbatore, and other urban areas. The scheme allows operators to run minibuses for up to 25 km, with 17 km on routes without any bus service and up to 8 km on routes already served by government or private buses. Currently, minibuses are limited to 20 km, with only 4 km on served routes.
Alby John Varghese, Managing Director of MTC, stated during the hearing that private operators should not be allowed to run buses within Chennai city, following the practice of other metropolitan cities. He pointed out that the draft proposal includes eight zones in Chennai as unserved areas, even though the MTC already runs 1,700 buses there. Varghese also emphasized the need for a real-time monitoring system for minibuses to prevent rule violations by operators before launching the scheme.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings