Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Thursday unveiled a major modernization programme for the State owned transport corporations and as part of the plan her government had decided to buy 1,200 new buses in the current year to replace old ones.
The Chief Minister told the Assembly that the total cost of the 1,200 buses was Rs. 253.80 crore.
She said after the AIADMK assumed office three years ago, it had completely revamped the public transport system in the State and as many as 20,684 buses were being operated for the benefit of the people.
The government also had granted Rs. 38.91 crore towards redeeming the government buses impounded by various courts in connection with accidents and transport corporations failure to pay compensation to accident victims. The government will once again release Rs. 39.73 crore as advance towards redeeming 544 buses impounded by courts.
The Chief Minister said a total of 100 small buses were being operated in Chennai to connect areas not covered by public transport. Encouraged by the response to the small buses from the public, the government has decided to buy 100 more >small buses at a cost of Rs 16.75 crore.
Ms. Jayalaithaa said as many places in the state were witnessing growth on a par with district headquarters and it had necessitated new transport offices for registration of vehicles and for obtaining driving licenses. New transport offices will be set up at Manmangalam, Usilampatti, Tiruttani and Cheyyar at a cost of Rs 2.79 crore. The existing offices at Chidambaram and Tiruchendur would be upgraded as Region Transport Offices.
