CM Flags Off 300 New Buses Worth Rs 127 Crore

Press Release Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru. C. Joseph Vijay flags off the service of 300 new buses procured at a cost of Rs.127.21 crore by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations The Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru. C. Joseph Vijay, today (25.6.2026) at the Secretariat flagged off, for the benefit of the public, the service of 300 new buses procured at a cost of Rs.127 crore 21 lakh by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations, on behalf of the Transport Department. The Government of Tamil Nadu, through 8 State Transport Corporations, provides low-fare public transport services to the people for education, employment, healthcare, business and other needs. Approximately 21,527 buses, operated through 26 zones and 317 depots of these Corporations, carry around 2.05 crore passengers daily. Of these, about 64% are women, students, transgender persons, differently-abled persons, freedom fighters, Valampuri awardees and other eligible passengers who avail themselves of free travel concessions. The Government continues to take various steps such as introducing new routes based on public need, resuming bus services in areas where they were earlier discontinued, replacing old buses, improving depot and passenger facilities, strengthening vehicle fitness and safety, and expanding technology-based passenger services. At a review meeting on the functioning of the Transport Department held on 17.06.2026 under the chairmanship of the Hon'ble Chief Minister, he directed that the Transport Department be upgraded into an eco-friendly, modern, technologically equipped, safe public transport system that benefits passengers, and that a smart-card based system for digital fare collection, GPS/Vehicle Location Tracking, passenger information systems, and 24x7 passenger help centres at bus stations be established. Accordingly, to further strengthen public transport services, the Hon'ble Chief Minister flagged off, for public use, the service of 300 new buses — 65 buses for the Metropolitan Transport Corporation, and for the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation: 36 buses for the Villupuram division, 39 buses for the Salem division, 25 buses for the Coimbatore division, 49 buses for the Kumbakonam division, 42 buses for the Madurai division, and 44 buses for the Tirunelveli division. These buses include 164 diesel buses and 136 BS-VI compliant, low-emission, eco-friendly CNG buses. These new buses will strengthen urban and suburban bus services, improve connectivity for passengers, reduce waiting times, and pave the way for safer and more comfortable travel. The new buses flagged off today by the Hon'ble Chief Minister commenced service immediately from the Kilambakkam and Koyambedu bus terminals and from the respective bus depots of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation. The event was attended by the Hon'ble Minister for Transport, Thiru. A. Vijaya Tamilan Parthiban, Chief Secretary Dr. Mu. Saikumar, IAS, Secretary, Transport Department, Dr. Ma. Vallalar, IAS, Special Secretary, Transport Department, Tmt. R. Lilly, IAS, Managing Director, Chennai Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Thiru. T. Mohan, IAS, Managing Directors of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations, and senior government officials. Issued by: Director, Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Chennai-9