Tamil Nadu launched the expanded Vettri Payanam bus-travel programme on October 2, extending fare-free journeys for women and transgender passengers to additional government services. DT Next reported that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay inaugurated the rollout at Chennai’s Koyambedu terminus by issuing tickets on a bus bound for Kancheepuram.
The added coverage includes Express, Limited Stop Service and Deluxe buses in urban areas, along with ordinary-fare mofussil services and ordinary hill-route services exceeding 40 kilometres. The South First’s October 2 report says beneficiaries face neither an income ceiling nor a cap on the number of journeys. Those categories matter: the launch should not be read as a blanket exemption on every long-distance or premium service.
Transport Minister Vijay Tamilan Parthiban said 12,695 buses had been brought under the programme and estimated that around 85 lakh women would benefit daily, according to DT Next. These are the minister’s rollout figures and estimates, not independently measured passenger use after launch. The South First reported an estimated annual expenditure of about ₹6,000 crore.
The change expands an existing zero-fare programme introduced by the previous DMK government in 2021. The immediate practical change is a wider choice of eligible buses for work, education and other daily travel. Its actual reach will depend on service availability and implementation; projected benefits should be distinguished from results measured after passengers begin using the expanded scheme.