The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has deferred the opening of tenders floated to operate 1,540 electric buses across the Chennai metropolitan area under the Gross Cost Contracting (GCC) model. The bids, originally scheduled to be opened on July 15, have been rescheduled to July 30 while authorities finalise responses to technical and commercial queries raised by prospective operators at pre-bid meetings. The postponement is intended to allow the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Development Board (TNIDB), which is the programme management unit for the project, to issue a corrigendum and provide clarity to bidders.

The deferred timeline affects procurement of three classes of vehicles that had been tendered earlier in the year under the previous administration. The package includes 370 small seven metre air-conditioned e-buses, 150 five metre micro air-conditioned e-buses, 1,000 12 metre air-conditioned e-buses and 20 double decker air-conditioned e-buses, all intended for urban routes and feeder services. Earlier tenders floated in February and March will now proceed after the corrigendum is released.

Officials noted that the move follows a recent cancellation by the state transport department of a separate tender for 500 air-conditioned e-buses that had been proposed for Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore. At present the MTC operates 124 small buses as feeder services and 22 micro buses dedicated to first and last mile connectivity for select metro stations, with an overall ordinary bus fleet strength of 4,130 as of March. Transport department officials are also examining funding models to support the procurement of 2,000 air-conditioned e-buses announced by the chief minister.

The department expects operations to be structured under the GCC model to ensure financial clarity and service standards. TNIDB personnel will finalise technical clarifications and issue the corrigendum ahead of the revised opening date. Vendors will be given time to adjust bids once the clarifications are published.