The Coimbatore District Collector, Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar, on Tuesday handed over operational orders for 48 minibus routes to private bus operators. This move follows the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s initiative to introduce minibuses in areas where regular buses cannot operate, ensuring better connectivity for residents.
Following the government’s announcement, the transport department received 323 applications for 67 routes across all regional transport offices (RTOs) in Coimbatore district. Due to the high demand, a draw of lots was conducted for routes with multiple applicants under the Mettupalayam and Pollachi RTOs. After the selection process, 48 routes were approved for minibus operations.
Transport department officials confirmed that five routes in Pollachi Municipality and two in Mettupalayam Municipality were allotted through the draw, while 20 routes in Mettupalayam and 21 routes in Pollachi were allocated without competition.
This initiative aims to enhance public transport in rural and semi-urban areas, where larger buses are not feasible. The introduction of minibuses is expected to improve connectivity and provide easier access to essential services for residents in underserved regions.
