Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, launched 130 new floor air-conditioned electric buses in Chennai, marking the start of the second phase of the city's electric bus expansion.
The service was inaugurated at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat, with CM Vijay flagging off five electric buses from the Secretariat complex as part of the launch ceremony.
The launch aims to give Chennai commuters a more comfortable and cleaner public transport option while reducing the city's dependence on conventional diesel-powered buses.
The new buses are part of a larger plan to introduce 750 buses consisting of 550 AC and 200 Non-AC variants through the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) during the second phase of the programme.
The Route Initiation
The 130 buses launched initially operate from Alandur Depot. They form the first part of the much larger second-phase rollout.
The complete second phase will eventually cover seven MTC depots:
Alandur
Central Workshop-II
Perambur
Padiyanallur
Avadi
K.K. Nagar
Iyyappanthangal
The MTC plans to introduce the remaining buses progressively as the necessary charging and maintenance facilities are made ready at the respective depots.
Core Targets And Policy Changes
The transport department plans to elevate Chennai's combined electric bus fleet to 1,375 operational vehicles once Phase 2 is fully deployed.
Moving forward, the state government will strictly procure only air-conditioned electric buses for any new additions to the public transit fleet to modernise infrastructure and lower emissions.
What Is Special About The New Buses?
The new buses are low-floor and air-conditioned electric buses.
The low-floor design makes boarding and alighting easier and is intended to make bus travel more accessible for senior citizens and passengers with disabilities.
Air-conditioning is another major feature, as Chennai experiences high temperatures for much of the year, making heat and humidity a regular concern for commuters.
Air-conditioned buses can make longer journeys considerably more comfortable, particularly for passengers travelling during the hottest parts of the day.
Charging And Depot Infrastructure
Introducing hundreds of electric buses requires more than simply purchasing the vehicles.
Depots also need charging infrastructure and facilities to maintain the electric fleet.
Preparations have been underway at the depots selected for the second phase.
At Alandur, for example, the depot was upgraded to support the new electric buses, including charging infrastructure.
Transport Minister Vijay Tamilan Parthiban inspected the facility on August 23, 2026, and reviewed the preparations for the new fleet.
The buses for the other depots are expected to be introduced in stages as the required infrastructure is completed and tested.
Part Of A Broader Change In Chennai's Public Transport
For commuters, the change is expected to be felt not only through the introduction of electric vehicles but also through the addition of air-conditioned and low-floor buses.
The launch of the first 130 buses from Alandur therefore marks the opening stage of a much bigger transformation planned for Chennai's bus network.
