Tamil Nadu Expands Free Bus Travel Scheme for Women

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on October 2 launched the expanded ‘Vettri Payanam’ free bus travel scheme at the Koyambedu Bus Terminus in Chennai. The scheme extends the existing free-travel facility for women and transgender persons to a wider range of government bus services across the state.

The expanded scheme covers Express, Limited Stop Service (LSS) and Deluxe buses in urban areas, along with Mofussil Ordinary and Ghat Ordinary services operating beyond 40 kilometres. Around 12,692 government buses have been brought under the scheme, with the facility expected to benefit about 84.32 lakh women every day.

There is no income ceiling for beneficiaries and no restriction on the number of journeys they can make under the scheme. The government said the expanded facility is intended to help women, including students and working women, access education, employment, healthcare and other essential services without having to pay bus fares.

The scheme is expected to cost the Tamil Nadu government around ₹6,000 crore annually. During the launch at Koyambedu, Vijay distributed zero-fare tickets to women passengers, formally marking the beginning of the expanded free-travel facility.