Sensational news regarding 5.3million bus riders travelling in the MTC buses per day in Chennai in 2032!!
The MTC or Metropolitan Transport Corporation in Chennai is having long term vision and medium term business plans!!
It is now revealed that by the year 2032 MTC would double its ridership by doubling its fleet. This plan by MTC would be to strengthen public transportation.
The state owned MTC has released a 10 year long term vision and medium term 5 year business plan as a part of World Bank`s Chennai City Partnership. Approval for the plans has been issued by the TN state government in July 2023 is known.
From 2.8million ridership per day in 2023, the average ridership per day would increase to 5.3million by the year 2032. There would be an increase in the fleet size to 7578 from 3450 buses in 2023.
The MTC fleet has been decreasing steadily from 3980 buses in 2016 and now the fleet is at the same level as it was in 2011.This was according to the World Bank report on Chennai Urban Mobility Transformation.
Around 47pc of buses have passed the age of retirement even among the operational fleet and continue to operate because of lack of funding for fleet renewal. The CMA or Chennai Metropolitan Area over the time period from 2011 to 2021 has expanded to 5900 sq kms. In addition to this, the population has increased from 12.2 million in 2011 to 15.9million in 2021.
Important information is that there are just 220 buses per million populations now. This is way below the national benchmark of 600 buses per million. It is also way below the international benchmark of 1000 buses per million populations that is present in cities like London etc.
Two main reasons for decline in public transport now are inadequate public transport and declining per capita income. These 2 factors have led to rapid motorisation and decline in public transportation etc. Point is that the bus transport share has reduced from 50% in 1980 to 22% in 2018. In the year 2018, the use of personalised vehicles went up to 44% and thirty percent of mode share was from two wheelers. The decrease in the bus services was mainly due to financial constraints.
The MTC has plans to procure 1000 buses under the Gross Cost Contract Basis. This was as a part of CCP. To procure 500 low floor electric buses, a contract has been awarded and from April 2025 delivery is expected. In the second phase, bids to procure 600 electric buses have been floated.
