66 MTC low-floor buses to enhance accessibility

CHENNAI: Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has added 66 new low-floor buses to its fleet in addition to 58 such buses under operation in the city aiming to improve accessibility for differently abled and senior citizen passengers.

According to the MTC, the 66 new low-floor buses would be operated on 11 bus routes including 10 buses on the 18AET route (Kilambakkam to Broadway) and six buses on 70G (Vadapalani to Guduvanchery).

Five buses each would ply on D70 (Ambattur IE to Velachery), 104 (Tambaram to Redhills), 27B (Koyambedu Bus Stand to Anna Square) and 583 (Tambaram to Sriperumbudur).

In total, the MTC has introduced 124 low-floor buses on 23 city bus routes. A maximum of 15 buses would ply on 104C (Kilambakkam to Koyambedu). Ten buses each would ply on 6D (Toll Gate to Tiruvanmiyur) and 18AET route (Kilambakkam to Broadway).

The 124 low-floor buses were part of the 552 such buses procured for MTC, TNSTC Coimbatore, and Madurai under the KfW funding. MTC would get a share of 352 buses while Coimbatore and Madurai would get 100 buses each.

The low-floor buses were designed in such a way that they would provide easy access for persons with disabilities, senior citizens, women, and children. With a ground clearance of only 400 millimetres, these buses would be easily accessible to all persons. The bus comes with a kneeling facility allowing it to lower itself by about 60 mm in the stopping position to help passengers board and de-board with ease.

Ramps have been provided for the wheelchair-bound passengers to board and de-board the buses at the rear side entrance. For boarding and de-boarding wheelchair-bound passengers, the ramp would extend from the bus floor and placed on the road or pavement. There is a separate space in the bus for disabled passengers to travel in wheelchairs.