Chennai: After a gap of more than 17 years, Chennai is poised to bring back its iconic double-decker buses, with the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) planning to induct 20 air-conditioned electric double-deckers as part of its fleet electrification drive.

According to a tender floated by the MTC on Thursday, the buses will be procured under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model. A pre-bid meeting for prospective bidders is scheduled for January 13 at 3 pm.

Under the GCC framework, ownership, operation and maintenance of the buses will rest with the selected private operator, while the MTC will pay the contractor based on the number of kilometres operated. Fare collection and revenue management will continue to remain with the transport undertaking.

The announcement has already sparked public interest, especially after an electric double-decker bus manufactured by Switch Mobility was recently spotted on Chennai roads. Images and videos of the trial vehicle circulated widely on social media, fuelling anticipation of the long-awaited return.

Officials said the double-deckers will not operate across all city routes. Given their height, the buses require sufficient vertical clearance and cannot ply on roads with low bridges, overhead power lines, flyovers or similar obstructions. Services will therefore be limited to select corridors that meet safety and infrastructure norms.

The move places Chennai alongside other Indian cities that have adopted electric double-decker services. Mumbai introduced the country’s first air-conditioned electric double-decker buses in January 2023, followed by Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar. Thiruvananthapuram currently operates open-top double-deckers mainly for tourism.

All 20 buses proposed for Chennai are designed, developed and manufactured by a private company, which had conducted a trial run of an electric double-decker in the city in August 2023. The trial followed an earlier announcement by the Transport Minister on assessing the feasibility of operating such buses, particularly on tourist-friendly routes.

Chennai’s association with double-decker buses dates back to the 1970s. Though phased out in the 1980s, the iconic vehicles briefly returned in 1997, operating on the High Court–Tambaram route until their withdrawal in 2008. Officials said the latest proposal aims to revive that legacy in a cleaner, modern and commuter-friendly electric form.