Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Friday (December 19, 2025) inaugurated the upgraded Poonamallee electric bus depot of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) and flagged off 45 new low-floor air-conditioned electric buses and 80 new low-floor electric buses.
The upgraded electric bus depot facility was developed at a cost of ₹43.53 crore, while the 125 new electric buses were procured at a cost of ₹214.50 crore, according to a press release.
Under the Chennai City Partnership – Sustainable Urban Services Programme (CCP–SUSP), executed with support from the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the State government is taking steps to operate 625 low-floor electric buses in Chennai through the MTC, with the aim of reducing environmental pollution.
These buses are being introduced in a phased manner from five depots at a total project cost of ₹697 crore. In the first phase, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had already flagged off the operation of 120 low-floor electric buses in June. In the second phase, Mr. Udhayanidhi flagged off the operation of 135 such buses in August.
The fresh set of 125 buses launched on Friday forms the third phase. These buses will be operated from Poonamallee to destinations such as Anna Square, Broadway, Red Hills, T. Nagar, Kilambakkam Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus (KCBT), Tiruvallur, and Sunguvarchathram.
