TN clears way for minibuses to operate on 2,000 routes Several City Suburbs Too Will Get Private Buses

TN clears way for minibuses to operate on 2,000 routes Several City Suburbs Too Will Get Private Buses 

Ram.Sundaram@timesofindia.com 30.01.2025

Chennai : Private minibuses have been given the goa head to operate on 2,000 routes, including areas in Chennai such as Thoraipakkam, Alandur, Ambattur, Manali and Thiruvottiyur. The move, aimed at improving first and last-mile connectivity, comes after finalising fares for existing operators. Under the newly notified comprehensive minibus scheme, 2024, permits will be issued to private operators running 25-seater minibuses on routes where govt-run services are absent or inadequate. As per the transport department’s order dated Jan 24, any locality must have at least four daily bus trips. If state-run services, including Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) and Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) Villupuram, fail to meet this requirement, private operators will be allowed to step in. 

District collectors across TN have identified close to 2,000 routes till date. District collectors will review applications from private operators and assess the necessity of minibuses before granting permits. Each selected route will ideally have a single operator, but if multiple applicants emerge, the permit will be awarded through drawing lots. Only high-demand routes with significant passenger traffic will allow multiple operators. Private minibuses will have a maximum operational distance of 25km, which can be extended by an additional km if a hospital, school, college, market, collectorate, taluk office or railway station is located near the terminal point. Commuters have welcomed the move, citing chronic connectivity gaps and the limited fleet of 140 small buses run by MTC. “We barely get one or two buses a day because most small buses serve only as Metrorail feeders. MTC had a monopoly for years and ignored requests to improve

services. This competition from private operators might finally push MTC to do better,” said Ganesh Babu, a resident-activist from Varadharajapuram, Tambaram. However, MTC, TNSTC and transport workers' unions have opposed the plan, arguing it will divert passengers away from govt run buses and impact revenue.