CHENNAI: The city will get its first

today (Monday). Chief minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami will flag off Chennai's first electric bus from the state secretariat. These air-conditioned buses have a maximum capacity of 72, including standees.

With these, after a gap of nearly 10 months, A/C buses will again hit the city roads. Last of the 100 A/C

buses, procured in 2008, was condemned in December.

The new electric buses, built by

, will be operated on

and CMBT-Broadway routes.

"The environment-friendly battery-driven buses can touch a maximum speed of 100km/hour," said a senior MTC official.

The official said batteries recharged at charging stations in MTC depots will be replaced at the end of every trip or 40km. He termed it 'swap technology'.

"The buses with tubeless tyres will have two airbags at the front and four in the rear. Also, the doors will be pneumatically operated in-swing door," said another government source.

The buses have hydraulic power steering systems and dual circuit air brakes. The floor leather is of wear resistant floor vinyl and the passenger seat is of fixed standard seats, the source said.

The buses were built at a depot in Mamandur, 90km from Chennai, and were brought to MTC headquarters at Pallavan Salai on Sunday evening in a container to avoid media attention.

Initially, the buses will be operated by drivers from Ashok Leyland who are familiar with the bus conditions and operations.

More e-buses are likely to be included into MTC and other state transport corporations' fleets with the Union heavy industries ministry approving the sanction of funds for procuring 525 battery-operated buses for

under Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India scheme.