Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) president Anbumani Ramadoss on Friday, October 16, slammed the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led Tamil Nadu government for reversing its decision on the procurement of 1,000 electric buses in Chennai. The government announced the cancellation of the tender, then withdrew the order the very next day, inviting criticism over the government’s inconsistent decision-making.
Chennai’s Metropolitan Transport Corporation announced on Wednesday, October 14, that it was cancelling the tender for administrative reasons. But the following day, it said that the cancellation notice had been issued inadvertently and withdrew it confirming that the tender process would continue.
In a post on X, Anbumani said the reversal reflected “serious indecision” in the government and had caused confusion. He questioned how a tender could be cancelled without the government’s knowledge, arguing that such decisions pass through several levels of officials and that those responsible for policy decisions should be held accountable.
“It is difficult to understand how a tender notification issued by the Tamil Nadu government could be cancelled without the government itself being aware of it. Any government decision must pass through several levels of officials, from section officers to directors and secretaries. An individual official may make a mistake, but how could all the officials involved make the same mistake? Therefore, the confusion surrounding the cancellation of the tender cannot be attributed to the officials. Those responsible for making policy decisions are the ones who must be held accountable.”
The tender was first invited in March 2026. Its timeline was subsequently affected by the announcement of the Assembly elections and a change of government, with the deadline for bids postponed several times.
He reminded that the PMK had previously protested the decision to procure electric buses under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model adopted by the DMK government in its agreement with the World Bank on the grounds that it could pave the way for the privatisation of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation.
“If the government cancelled the tendering process for this very reason, it should have stood firm on its decision instead of reversing it,” he said.
He further added: “Making hasty decisions without adequate deliberation and then reversing them immediately does not strengthen governance.”
He urged the government to ensure that all decisions are taken only after thorough examination.
Amid this, Greater Chennai Corporation Mayor Priya had on Thursday, October 15 also accused the TVK led government for cancelling tenders worth at least Rs 700 crores for various city projects.
Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.