Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on June 26, 2026 — Day 47 in office — flagged off 300 new buses procured by the state's transport corporations at a cost of ₹127.21 crore. The new fleet, comprising 164 diesel buses and 136 CNG/BS-VI-compliant green buses, will serve urban and suburban commuters across Tamil Nadu, significantly strengthening public transport connectivity.
Fleet Details
Of the 300 new buses, 136 are CNG-powered and compliant with BS-VI emission norms — among the cleanest fuel standards currently in use — making them a meaningful step toward a lower-emission public transport system. The remaining 164 are diesel buses. All 300 buses are equipped to serve both new routes and routes where services had previously been suspended or reduced.
What the Buses Will Do
The Tamil Nadu government has outlined a comprehensive plan for the new fleet: introducing new routes based on public demand, reviving services in areas where buses had been withdrawn, replacing ageing vehicles that posed passenger safety concerns, upgrading passenger facilities at bus stands, and improving vehicle fitness and safety standards through regular technical audits. The government also plans to extend smart card-based digital ticketing, GPS vehicle tracking, passenger information systems, and 24×7 passenger help desks at bus stations.
CM Vijay's Vision for Transport
CM Vijay had chaired a detailed transport department review meeting on June 17, 2026 — just over a week before this launch — where he directed officials to transform Tamil Nadu's public transport into a clean, modern, technology-enabled, safe and people-centric system. The June 26 launch is the direct outcome of that review. Transport Minister A. Vijay Tamilarasu Parthibhan, Chief Secretary Dr. M. Sai Kumar IAS and senior transport officials were present at the ceremony.
The launch comes even as the government had cancelled the previous administration's KfW-funded tender for 500 electric buses, signalling its intent to set its own procurement terms rather than inherit a process it had not designed.
