CHENNAI: For the first time, 100 mini buses will be operated in the areas where transport facilities are not available so far. Transport Minister V Senthil Balaji announced this in the State Assembly while replying to the discussion on the demands for grants for his department in the State Assembly. He said mini buses would provide connectivity to the people living in the areas where transport facilities were insufficient to the bus stands and railway stations. The previous DMK regime decided to operate mini buses from July 2010 itself but it was delayed. A feasibility study carried out by Anna University had recommended that mini buses could be operated in 100 routes most of the sub-urban areas. It is expected that mini buses are likely to be operated in the city from narrow lanes where around 100 families live, based on the recommendation to be made by the District Collector. Mini bus scheme was started during the previous DMK regime and in the first phase license was given to 4,000 mini buses and permission for 3,000 more buses could not be given as one of the mini bus owner got a stay order from a court.The then Transport Minister KN Nehru had on May 10, 2010, said that school students can’t use their passes in mini buses to be introduced in the city soon. Already, students in other parts of the State have not been allowed to use in the mini buses.SCHEDULED SERVICES Transport Minister Senthil Balaji also announced that in accordance with the Vision 2023 unveiled by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa recently which envisages all basic infrastructure facilities to the people of the city, the number of scheduled services would be increased from 3,140 to 3,500 during 2012-13.
Comments
0 comment