Another reason to leave your car at home: Ride on premium, luxury buses in Chennai
In a government order dated September 25, 2024, the transport department accorded administrative sanction to the Corporation’s proposal to introduce premium bus services by hiring a service provider through a revenue-sharing model.
Image of electric bus
CHENNAI: The Metropolitan Transport Corporation will soon start running premium, luxury bus services in the city by hiring private operators, aiming to encourage more people to ditch their personal vehicles and prefer public transport.
In a government order dated September 25, 2024, the transport department accorded administrative sanction to the Corporation’s proposal to introduce premium bus services by hiring a service provider through a revenue-sharing model.
Last June, Transport Minister SS Sivasankar informed the Assembly that a feasibility study was done on introducing premium bus services in Chennai to minimise the reliance on personal vehicles. A ‘premium bus’ is a luxurious public service vehicle equipped with amenities like AC, WiFi, GPS, CCTV, panic buttons, and 2X2 seating arrangements.
"The current public bus services, while extensive, may not fully cater to the needs of commuters seeking higher comfort levels, quicker travel times, and more personalised services. Hence, the introduction of premium bus services in Chennai through contracting models is aimed at enhancing urban transport efficiency and passenger comfort. These premium buses will be designed to offer superior comfort, reliability, and efficiency to commuters willing to pay a higher fare for enhanced amenities and service standards," the MTC MD wrote to the department, seeking sanction for the proposal.
After studying the direct licensing model of Delhi and the hiring of service providers through PPP as done by Mumbai's BEST, the corporation decided to opt for the latter.
The MTC will hire a service provider, which will work under the MTC and not compete with the public utility. "MTC earns revenue from the revenue-sharing model. Under this model, the co-branded buses carrying logos of private service providers and MTC also help to increase brand recall of the STU," it said.
A senior official said they are working on the proposal, including the identification of routes, and it would take some to implement.
