Public transport in the state is all set to get an Australian touch as the managing directors and heads of all transport corporations of Tamil Nadu have been flown by the Union government to that country to study the latest trends in public transportation.
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, they have been sent as part of a huge delegation comprising senior officials of all state transport corporations across the country.
“All state transport corporations in the state have been headless for the last four days and would remain so for a few more days.
The heads of all the state transport corporations like Madurai, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, Salem, Villupuram, besides the managing directors of MTC and SETC, have left for Australia on a study programme organised by the association of state road transport undertakings, an apex body of the ministry of road transport and highways,” sources in the government told this paper on Tuesday.
The purpose of the visit is to empower the officials with emerging trends in public transport. They will be travelling and participating in seminars on ‘intelligent transport systems’ and studying the transportation modules which could be emulated here with a few modifications, according to the needs, on their return.
The team left Chennai on May 31 and would travel across the length and breadth of Australia, and be back on June 10, sources added.
This learning experience would help the department achieve the goals set by the chief minister in her Vision 2023 document regarding public transportation.