The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is looking to provide free bus transportation for students in corporation-run schools in the capital city of Tamil Nadu. Deputy Mayor M. Magesh Kumar on Thursday clarified the vision for how the authorities are expanding and planning for the future of the free bus service for students after the first phase of the pilot project ran smoothly in Chennai.
At the moment, there are 373 students benefiting from the free bus services through four dedicated buses and moving forward, the program will grow in a few months. The project, initiated by Chief Minister MK Stalin, has won support from parents and the broader school community.
“Since the pilot project has been successful, we have asked the education officer to compile a list of students who require such services, especially those commuting from suburban and far-flung areas,” said the Deputy Mayor. He further said, “Based on the data, we will expand the service to cover more schools and students.”
GCC Schools New Bus Service Expansion
The current fleet will be used to transport students from some GCC schools. Each bus is staffed with security to ensure the safety of students while on the bus.
Kumar pointed out that they have received overwhelming responses from parents, who see this as a much-needed enhancement to public education, as noted in the article.
“The responses we have been receiving from families have been very emotional. It is helping to rebuild trust in the corporation schools, and making them a feasible option for parents instead of private schools,” he said.
22,000 New Students Enrolled In GCC Schools
The start of the new bus service opportunity presents another development: having a significant increase in student enrollment. The Deputy Mayor stated that there are 22,000 new students enrolled in GCC schools for the academic year: another indicator of trust in public education.
The Deputy Mayor acknowledged that the initiatives of the chief minister and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin provided the leadership and must-have reforms and infrastructure developments to support city based schools.
The bus service was brought to life at a cost of Rs 1.11 crore, and will be used beyond transporting students as part of educational tours, interschool-up competitions, and sports, to provide more opportunities for a complete experience for students.
