Transport Corporations to get 100 A/C buses

CHENNAI: State Transport Corporations will add 100 air-conditioned buses to their fleet by March-end, Transport Secretary Debendranath Sarangi said on Friday.

Of these, 50 would be added to the State Express Transport Corporation fleet and 25 each to the Coimbatore and Madurai Transport Corporations. The 100 buses included the seven ultra-deluxe air-conditioned buses added to the SETC fleet on Thursday.

The buses would have power steering, air suspension and would be roomier. Each of the buses cost about Rs.30 lakh. There was no move to give Volvo buses to other Transport Corporations. MTC operated 10 Volvo air-conditioned buses.

The Transport Corporations would focus on maintenance, he said in response to a question.

“We are working to evolve a system of scientific maintenance. We are considering all options, including outsourcing,” he said, adding that many passenger-centric efforts were on. The moves were part of the effort to compete with private operators and also provide a cheaper alternative. During peak season, some private operators fleeced passengers and State Transport Corporations had the responsibility to take people to their destinations at ‘normal’ rates.

The Transport department was working closely with the corporations to make sure that the drivers and conductors were people-friendly and to ensure that buses were clean.

Asked about the attrition rate, Mr. Sarangi said that the department never faced the problem because of the prestige attached to holding a ‘government job.’ On the problems arising out of MTC operating deep into the area served by the Villupuram Transport Corporation, Mr. Sarangi said that the issue would be looked into. (The Villupuram Transport Corporation wants to operate buses to destinations in Chennai in return).