Three companies in the race to supply 500 low-floor electric buses for Chennai’s MTC
MTC has planned to procure 100 AC and 400 non-AC, low-floor electric buses through the GCC model in the first phase of the World Bank project.
500 low-floor electric bus
CHENNAI: Three companies, including a Chennai-based company, have bid for the Metropolitan Transport Corporation's tender to procure, supply, operate and maintain 500 low-floor electric buses under gross cost contract (GCC) model through the World Bank-funded project.
According to sources, three companies - Aeroeagle Automobiles Private Limited, Maharashtra; OHM Global Mobility Private Limited, Chennai; and Evey Trans Private Limited (EVEY), Telangana have participated in the bids. Of these, OHM Global Mobility is a subsidiary of Ashok Leyland, while EVEY is a Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL) subsidiary.
MTC has planned to procure 100 AC and 400 non-AC, low-floor electric buses through the GCC model in the first phase of the World Bank project.
Sources said the technical bids were opened on June 26, after which the tender process would go through various stages. "If everything progresses as per the plan, the contract will be awarded in August end or first week of the September. After that, the companies will start the delivery of the electric buses in six months. So, the first electric buses will start plying by March-April next year," sources added.
Under the GCC model, the electric bus is owned, operated and maintained by service providers for a specific rate and contract period. The MTC would specify the bus routes and collect the fare while the service provider would be paid a pre-decided per-km fee discovered through the tendering process.
As per the terms of the World Bank project, MTC and the Transport Department have signed a public transport service contract (PTSC) which ensures payment of viability gap funding.
The total cost of the project is approximately Rs 959 crore, of which the World Bank will contribute 70 per cent and the rest will be borne by the State government. The disbursement of funds will be linked to the achievement of specific indicators, which will enable the operation of new buses through innovative methods.
