The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : “3,000 new buses will be introduced by January 31”

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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

“3,000 new buses will be introduced by January 31”

Staff Reporter

1,200 new bus routes have been introduced and 2,000 extended, says Nehru

In last four-and-a-half years, 15,000 buses commissioned
Orders issued to RTOs across State to provide smart cards

VANIYAMBADI: The government will roll out 3,000 new buses in the State by January 31, 2011, Transport Minister K.N. Nehru said on Thursday.

Speaking at the inauguration of a new building for the unit office of the Transport Department here and a testing track at Gudiyattam, he said that there were 17,000 buses in the State when the DMK came to power.

“In the last four-and-a-half years, 15,000 new buses were commissioned.”

The Minister said 1,200 new bus routes were introduced and 2,000 extended. He said that 40,000 persons were appointed.

First to computerise

Claiming that the department was the first in the country to computerise all its offices as per the direction of the Centre, Mr. Nehru said: “We have introduced smart card system in three RTOs. Orders have been issued to all RTOs across the State to provide smart cards soon.” Despite a 120 per cent increase in diesel prices, the government had not hiked bus fare.

Subsidy

“The government has given a subsidy of Rs.1,000 crore for the department.” Regarding introduction of mini-buses, Mr. Nehru said: “Earlier, the court had stayed introduction of mini-buses. We then asked District Collectors to identify areas that required mini-bus services. A total of 239 routes have been identified. However, we are planning for 4,000 new routes. We are bringing in a new legislation so that mini-buses can be introduced in areas having a population of 150.”

Rise in number

of commuters

Mr. Nehru said the number of commuters had gone up to 2.05 crore a day from 1.64 crore a day five years ago. A total of 10 lakh new vehicles were being registered every year, with about 3,500 vehicles being registered a day in the State.

Transport Commissioner M. Rajaram said this year alone, the Chief Minister had allotted Rs.40 crore for preventing road accidents.

Among others, Law Minister Durai Murugan, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting S. Jagathrakshagan, MLAs, MPs, and District Collector C. Rajendran spoke.

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