Chennai's public transport network received a significant green boost on Friday with the inauguration of the city's third dedicated electric vehicle (EV) bus depot at Poonamallee. The new facility will serve as a home base for 125 brand-new low-floor electric buses, marking a major step in Tamil Nadu's push for sustainable urban mobility.
Deputy CM Inaugurates Key Infrastructure
Tamil Nadu's Deputy Chief Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin, formally inaugurated the depot and flagged off the new fleet of buses. The depot itself represents a substantial infrastructure investment, constructed at a cost of ₹43.53 crore. The 125 electric buses procured for it came at a price of ₹214.5 crore.
This Poonamallee depot joins two other similar facilities already operational in Vyasarpadi and Sholinganallur. The new e-buses will connect Poonamallee with several crucial hubs across the city and its outskirts, including:
- Broadway
- Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus
- Thiruvanmiyur
- Thirumazhisai
- Tiruvallur
- Anna Square
- Chengalpet
Advanced Features for Passenger Comfort and Safety
The buses, manufactured by Switch Mobility (the electric vehicle arm of Ashok Leyland), come packed with user-centric features. A key highlight is their accessibility: the bus floor has a standard height of 40cm, which the driver can further lower to 25cm when needed. This kneeling mechanism greatly eases boarding and alighting for persons with disabilities, senior citizens, women, and children.
Further enhancing passenger experience, the seats are on a single-level floor, and the aisle width has been increased to 70cm from the previous 65cm, offering more comfort for standing commuters. For safety, the buses are equipped with CCTV cameras. The depot is prepared for efficient operations with 33 charging points. According to MTC Joint Managing Director R Sundarapandian, the buses' 300 kW batteries can be fully charged in approximately one and a half hours.
In a move to make regular travel affordable, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has also introduced a monthly AC electric bus travel pass priced at ₹2,000.
Part of a Larger Green Transport Vision
The launch is not an isolated event but the third phase of Tamil Nadu's ambitious electric bus rollout under the Chennai City Partnership–Sustainable Urban Services Programme (CCP-SUSP). This programme is supported by international financial institutions like the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), with clear goals of reducing urban air pollution and strengthening Chennai's public transport system.
The overall plan is expansive. MTC aims to operate 625 low-floor electric buses through a network of five depots—Vyasarpadi, Perumbakkam, Poonamallee, Central Workshop, and Tondiarpet—with a total project cost of ₹697 crore.
The journey so far has seen steady progress:
- First Phase (June): Chief Minister M K Stalin inaugurated the Vyasarpadi electric bus depot and flagged off 120 e-buses.
- Second Phase (August): Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin inaugurated the Perumbakkam depot and launched 135 electric buses.
Work is currently ongoing at the remaining two depots (Central Workshop and Tondiarpet). This involves developing civil infrastructure, installing charging facilities and maintenance bays, constructing administrative buildings and staff restrooms, and setting up new transformers and fire safety systems to fully support electric bus operations.
The inauguration of the Poonamallee depot solidifies Chennai's position as a city actively transitioning its mass transit towards a cleaner, more accessible, and sustainable future.
