The Hindu : Front Page : MTC buses go for more comfort, safety

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Sunday, Mar 18, 2007
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MTC buses go for more comfort, safety

P. Oppili

They will have hydraulic doors, operated by the driver

CHENNAI: Enhanced passenger safety and greater comfort are the main features of the semi-low floor buses to be inducted by the MTC next week.

A total of 100 buses would be flagged off on March 21 and another 50 would be ready by the end of this month or April first week.

According to an MTC source, all these buses would be fitted with hydraulic doors, which would be operated by the driver. Entrusting the responsibility of opening and closing the doors with the driver would help in avoiding footboard travel. It would be difficult for passengers to alight or board at traffic intersections/signals or from a moving bus, thereby reducing the number of fatal accidents.

The source said that 20 of the total 100 buses would sport white colour with blue and red bands. The remaining would be the new `Orange Line' services.

The white semi-low floor buses would be operated mainly on Old Mahabalipuram Road (IT corridor).

Asked about the maintenance and cleaning of white-coated vehicles, the source said six special equipment had been purchased to clean and wash them. These had been installed at select depots, where the white buses would be parked.

In a phased manner, the cleaning equipment would be purchased and installed at other depots. The bodybuilding of the 150 buses was outsourced to seven private companies at Karur and one at Kancheepuram.

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