CM Reviews Transport Dept, Orders AC Buses, Smart Card Ticketing and Bus Rapid Transit Push

PRESS RELEASE Review meeting on the activities of the Transport Department held under the chairmanship of Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru C. Joseph Vijay. Under the chairmanship of Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru C. Joseph Vijay, a review meeting on the activities of the Transport Department and the schemes to be implemented was held today (17.06.2026) at the Secretariat. It was reported to the Hon'ble Chief Minister at the meeting that 21,527 buses are being operated through the 8 Government Transport Corporations functioning under the Transport Department, through which 2.05 crore passengers travel every day; that 64 percent of passengers are provided free bus travel; and that Government bus services are being provided to the extent of 98.40 percent in villages of Tamil Nadu with a population of more than 1,000 persons. Further, the activities of the 8 Transport Corporations functioning under this Department, the State Express Transport Corporation, the Tamil Nadu Passenger and Goods Transport Corporation, and the Directorate of Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Maintenance were explained to the Hon'ble Chief Minister. At this meeting, a detailed discussion on one-year, three-year and five-year action plans for improving the Transport Corporations was undertaken by the Hon'ble Chief Minister. It was explained to the Hon'ble Chief Minister that, for the welfare of passengers, a new software is being developed to link bus departures, arrivals and bus stops via GPS devices, and that round-the-clock information and control centres will be established at major bus stations, connected to the control centre at the head office of each of the 8 Transport Corporations as well as to an integrated control centre to be set up in Chennai for monitoring. The Hon'ble Chief Minister gave instructions regarding the Transport Department's long-term initiatives, including the action plan for free travel for women across the state, the large-scale introduction of environment-friendly electric buses, and addressing the welfare and grievances of transport workers. Further, the Hon'ble Chief Minister instructed that buses newly procured by the Transport Corporations should be air-conditioned electric buses, that a cashless Smart Card system for passenger travel should be implemented, and that further action should be taken on implementing the Bus Rapid Transit System to provide dedicated lanes for buses. The meeting was attended by Hon'ble Minister for Transport Thiru A. Vijaya Thamizhan Parthipan, Chief Secretary Dr. M. Saikumar, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department Thiru M.A. Siddique, IAS, Secretary, Transport Department Dr. M. Vallalar, IAS, Special Secretary, Transport Department Tmt. Ra. Lilly, IAS, Managing Director, Metropolitan Transport Corporation Dr. T. Prabhushankar, IAS, and senior officials of the Government. ••••••••••••• Issued By: Director, DIPR, Chennai-9