The Tamil Nadu government has launched automatic announcement of bus stops on Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses in Chennai, officials said.
The GPS-based service, a long-standing demand of commuters in the city, was launched on Saturday by Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni MP Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is also the son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, in the presence of Transport Minister SS Sivasankar and other senior officials.
The advertising system was installed in 150 buses in the first phase, officials said. The department plans to expand this facility and accommodate around 1,000 additional buses, they added. More than 3,000 MTC buses in the city already have GPS devices installed.
A senior MTC official told indianexpress.com that the posting system will help other non-residents of Chennai as many may not know the route or the language. “It also helps visually impaired, senior citizens and tourists who are unfamiliar with Chennai. The names of some bus stations are in Tamil and those who do not know the language may find it difficult to explain them to the conductor. The new advertising system solves these problems. The notice comes about 100 meters in front of the bus stand in English and Tamil,” he said.
In May, the ruling DMK government launched the Chennai Bus mobile app to provide hassle-free travel for motorists in the city. The app provides bus route details, current location and arrival time at the bus stop. An SOS button for passengers has also been included in the app, which passengers can use to contact friends or family in an emergency.