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Tamil Nadu Expands Free Bus Travel for Women to Deluxe and Express Fleets
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CNBC TV18•02-10-2026, 11:48
Tamil Nadu Expands Free Bus Travel for Women to Deluxe and Express Fleets
- •Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay launched the expanded 'Vettri Payanam' initiative on Gandhi Jayanti, offering free bus travel for women.
- •The scheme now includes express, limited stop services (LSS), and deluxe fleets, previously confined to ordinary city and town services.
- •Over 84 lakh women and transgender commuters daily are projected to benefit, facilitating more than 16 lakh one-way journeys across 12,692 state-run buses.
- •There is no income ceiling for beneficiaries and no cap on the number of trips an individual can take in a day.
- •This expansion aims to reduce daily commuting costs and enhance workforce participation among women, evolving beyond the previous 'Vidiyal Payanam Thittam'.
Key Questions Answered
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay launched the expanded free bus travel initiative for women titled 'Vettri Payanam' on October 2, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti.
The expanded scheme now includes express, limited stop services (LSS), and deluxe fleets operating across municipal corporations, town panchayats, and hilly terrains, alongside Mofussil Ordinary and Ghat Ordinary buses.
The state government confirmed that the welfare scheme entails no income ceiling for beneficiaries and places no cap on the daily number of trips an individual can take.
