CM Vijay Flags Off 250 New MTC and State Buses at Secretariat in Chennai

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay inaugurated new bus services operated by the Metropolitan Transport Corporation and Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations at the Secretariat in Chennai on Tuesday.

The Chief Minister flagged off 130 low-floor electric buses valued at Rs 234.5 crore alongside 120 other buses worth Rs 55.8 crore for public operation. Following the flag-off ceremony, Vijay boarded one of the new vehicles to inspect its passenger amenities.

The red-coloured Switch EV MTC buses are powered by Ashok Leyland and form part of the broader green mobility programme in Tamil Nadu aimed at modernising public transit and reducing emissions across the city.

The bus rollout follows an announcement made by Vijay in the state Assembly under Rule 110 regarding the expansion of the state's fare-free bus travel scheme for women, titled Vettri Payanam. Under the expanded framework, women will be eligible to travel free of cost on Express, Deluxe, and Low Semi-Deluxe (LSS) government buses running in metropolitan and urban regions.

The free travel benefit is also being extended to regular fare buses operating in suburban mofussil and hilly areas. The Chief Minister confirmed there will be no riders or restrictions, such as income caps or limits on the number of trips taken by women passengers.

The expanded fare-free travel scheme is scheduled to roll out on October 2, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanthi. The state government estimates that the move will entail an additional expenditure of Rs 6,000 crore per annum.

During his address in the Assembly fulfilling key electoral assurances, Vijay also announced other major welfare measures, including the provision of three free cooking gas cylinders in the initial phase of the Annapoorani Super Six scheme, with direct bank transfers launching around Pongal in mid-January 2027, as well as the shelving of the proposed Parandur greenfield airport project.