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Vijay's Free Bus Scheme for Women Challenged in Madras HC by Private Operators
M
Moneycontrol•05-10-2026, 09:05
Vijay's Free Bus Scheme for Women Challenged in Madras HC by Private Operators
- •Private bus operators in Tamil Nadu have challenged the state government's free bus travel scheme for women in the Madras High Court, seeking its withdrawal and a stay on implementation.
- •The petitioners claim the scheme has caused severe financial losses and question how the government plans to compensate them for lost revenue.
- •Operators argue that allowing women to travel without fares violates their constitutional rights and raises concerns about the scheme's increasing financial burden on the state.
- •They also claim the scheme was implemented without a formal government order, questioning its legal basis.
- •The 'Vettri Payanam' scheme, launched by CM C Joseph Vijay, has been expanded to cover various bus services, benefiting an estimated 84.32 lakh women passengers daily.
Key Questions Answered
Private bus operators challenged the scheme by claiming it causes severe financial losses, raises constitutional concerns, and was implemented without a formal government order or a clear compensation plan.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay launched the expanded 'Vettri Payanam' scheme on October 2, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti.
The expanded scheme covers Express, Limited Stop Services, Deluxe, Suburban Ordinary, and Ghat Ordinary services running over 40 km operated by the seven State Transport Corporations.
