The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Smart card to be issued all over State

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Wednesday, Mar 04, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Smart card to be issued all over State

Staff Reporter

FACILITY: K.N.Nehru Transport Minister launching new bus services at Aranthangi on Monday.

PUDUKOTTAI: Having realised the success of the programme of issue of Smart Cards on a trial basis in select districts, the Transport Department will extend the programme all over Tamil Nadu, the State Transport Minister K. N. Nehru, said.

Speaking at a function after inaugurating 17 buses on new routes — most of them to be operated on the newly-inaugurated East Coast Road sector — at a function held at Aranthangi near here on Monday, Mr. Nehru spoke on the efficacy of the Smart Card system, now in vogue in select districts, including Sivaganga and Cuddalore.

Apart from storing a large number of vital data, the cards facilitated immediate location of vehicles.

The Transport Department would extend the scheme all over the State in course of time, he said.

The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation would purchase 1,400 new buses through the Centrally-sponsored funds to the tune of Rs.185 crore.

Mr. Nehru said that the Transport Corporation had introduced fleet operation on a total of 1,000 new routes and extended its services on about 2,000 existing routes.

The daily cumulative distance covered by the Corporation-operated buses had risen to 79 lakh km against the previous 64 lakh km.

Referring to a plea by the Alankudi MLA S. Dhanasekaran, the Minister replied that new bus depots would be opened shortly at three centres – Alankudi, Manamelkudi and Keeranur in the district immediately, as starting of depots would not only benefit the passengers but also ensure economy in the area of diesel consumption.

The Managing Director of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Kumbakonam Division, R. Raju, said that the new bus-routes, among others, included mofussil services on the Tiruchi – Kottaipattinam; Devakottai – Meemisal; Karaikudi – Manamelkudi sectors besides town route buses in and around Aranthangi. Collector Reeta Harish Thakkar and MLA Udhayam Shanmugam were among those who spoke.

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