MTC reinstates tender to procure low-floor AC e-bus within 24 hours of cancelling it

In a day of flip-flops, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) cancelled a tender floated for 1,000 low-floor 12-metre air-conditioned electric buses (e-buses), and, within 24 hours, revoked the cancellation.

In a letter written to the National Informatics Centre in Besant Nagar, the MTC Chairman stated that the tender was ‘inadvertently cancelled’. It also extended the bid due date from October 14 to November 4. Sources in the MTC said the tender was cancelled on Wednesday citing administrative reasons, and the cancellation was subsequently revoked on Thursday.

The MTC had planned to replace the aged, diesel-guzzling buses with low-floor e-buses under the gross cost control (GCC) mechanism. At present, nearly 750 e-buses are being operated by the MTC through the GCC mechanism.

Small e-buses

Similarly, the MTC had floated a tender last year for deploying 220 AC low-floor small e-buses, which are five metres and seven metres in length, to provide first- and last-mile connectivity for Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL). However, it has not received any bids for the tender. The MTC has extended the tender due dates for both — the 1,000 low-floor e-buses and 220 small buses — on more than two occasions.

Social activist C. Senthil of Iyyappanthangal said with the Phase II of Metro Rail being launched between Poonamallee and Vadapalani, and the section receiving a good response, office-goers in the interior areas of Iyappanthangal, Porur, Kumananchavadi, and Karayanchavadi, do not have last-mile connectivity in the form of small buses.

Mr. Senthil wanted the MTC to expedite the deployment of small buses as early as possible to help residents use the Metro Rail services.