Chennai completes 625 electric bus rollout, launches Phase 2 for 750 more units
By Eve
Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin inaugurated the upgraded Tondiarpet depot and flagged off 100 new low floor electric buses worth Rs 170 crore, completing Metropolitan Transport Corporation's Phase 1 induction of all 625 electric buses under a World Bank funded programme. OHM Global Mobility, a subsidiary of Ashok Leyland and Switch Mobility, supplied and operates the fleet under a performance based Gross Cost Contract model. Phase 2 has now been launched to add 750 new low floor electric buses at a total cost of Rs 1,337.50 crore, with OHM Global Mobility contracted to supply 500 of these units.
Why it matters: The completion of a 625 unit electric bus contract demonstrates proven delivery capacity by OHM Global Mobility and validates the performance based Gross Cost Contract model for large scale urban fleet electrification. The immediate launch of Phase 2 with 750 additional buses signals sustained procurement momentum in Chennai, creating a pipeline for depot infrastructure, charging equipment suppliers, and operations partners in one of India's major metropolitan transport markets.