Chennai: The agonizing wait for the next bus will soon be a thing of the past, as the Tamil Nadu government has decided to launch a unique app to inform the commuters about the time of arrival of the buses. Also, on the cards is to prepare a roadmap to roll out electric buses for Chennai, informed transport minister M. R. Vijayabhaskar.
“With the apps becoming essential in the present times, it has been decided to flex the technology to provide information to passengers on the arrival and location of the buses, at all the bus stops,” Mr. Vijayabhaskar said on Tuesday. Winding up the debate on the demand for grants for his department in the Assembly, the minister said GPS would be utilised to track the movement of vehicles. Each bus stop would be accorded a geo code for identification. The information could be accessed on a mobile app.
Further, a roadmap for electric bus roll out for Chennai would be evolved soon. Already, the Tamil Nadu transport department has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with C-40 Cities Climate Leadership Group based in England to manufacture electric buses. The C-40 would support the state government in preparing the city roadmap, and set up required infrastructure for the buses.
Mr Vijayabhaskar who made 21 announcements for the transport department and another 14 under the Motor Vehicles Act – Administration, said a new procurement policy for all state transport undertakings would be unveiled and a common trust for all state transport undertakings to administer accident compensation, accident prevention and toll fee cess amount would be formed. On board entertainment would be provided for passengers travelling on metropolitan transport corporation buses.
