The Hindu: Mini-buses in three months: Minister

The mini-buses will connect residential areas with main roads, bus terminals

Bus stands to be developed to facilitate car parking on top floors

CHENNAI: The Transport Department will introduce mini-buses from residential areas to main roads and bus terminals in three months, Transport Minister K.N.Nehru told the Assembly on Tuesday.

The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister will inaugurate the facility in the city, he said. He was responding to a question from V.S. Babu (DMK) on increasing the number of share auto permits in Chennai. The Minister said that this would not be done since the share autos ate into the revenue of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation.

Later, talking to The Hindu, the Minister said Anna University was conducting a study on passenger density and the routes for the mini-buses would be drawn up based on the recommendations of the study. Initially, the Transport Department was aiming at introducing 100 such buses in the city, he added.

Responding to a question from C. Gnanasekharan (Congress) on making it mandatory for owners to provide proof of parking space for a second car they intended to purchase, Mr. Nehru said this issue had featured in a meeting convened by him about a fortnight ago. “I can say that we did discuss this issue but no decision has been taken yet.”

Mr. Nehru said that the average number of vehicles registered in the State worked out to 3,825 per day in the past year. This meant that about 10 lakh vehicles were registered each year. The Transport Department, the Highways Department and the Municipal Administration Department were meeting often to discuss issues relating to congestion and expansion of roads and creation of additional facilities, he said.

Mr. Nehru said that the department had decided to develop bus stands in Chennai so as to allow parking of buses on the ground floor and create car parking on the floors above. The details were being worked out, he added.

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• May 5, 2010
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