Mon Jun 30 10:08:59 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

**Chennai Rolls Out First Fleet of Electric Buses in Green Transportation Push**

**Chennai, India – June 30, 2025** – Chennai took a significant step towards sustainable urban transportation today with the inauguration of 120 low-floor electric buses. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin officially flagged off the new fleet from the Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s (MTC) Vyasarpadi depot.

The initiative, part of the Chennai City Partnership Programme and the Chennai Sustainable Urban Services Programme, aims to reduce environmental pollution in the city. The project is supported by the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Each fully charged e-bus can travel up to 200 kilometers and is equipped with 39 seats with seat belts, CCTV cameras, and LED displays providing route information. The buses are also wheelchair accessible with ramps and secure anchorage points, mobile phone charging points, and emergency alarms.

“This is a crucial step in our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and improving air quality for the residents of Chennai,” said Additional Chief Secretary (Transport) K. Phanindra Reddy. He added that on average, a diesel bus emits 755 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer, and the introduction of electric buses will significantly lower emissions.

The new fleet of 120 buses, costing ₹207.90 crore, will operate on 11 routes across Chennai, including prominent routes such as Broadway to Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus (KCBT)-Kilambakkam terminus and Mahakavi Bharathiyar Nagar to KCBT-Kilambakkam bus terminus.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated the upgraded electric bus depot at Vyasarpadi, built at a cost of ₹47.50 crore, which includes infrastructure for charging and maintenance. The MTC plans to roll out a total of 625 electric buses in the first phase at a total cost of ₹697 crore. Future operations will expand to other depots including Perumbakkam, Poonamallee, Central, and Tondiarpet 1.

Transport Minister S.S. Sivasankar, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P.K. Sekarbabu, and other officials were present at the inauguration.

The rollout of electric buses marks a major advancement in Chennai’s public transportation system, offering a cleaner, more accessible, and technologically advanced commuting experience for its citizens.

**###**

Read More