TN Reviews Expansion of Vettri Payanam Free Bus Scheme for Women

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay chaired a high-level review meeting at the Secretariat in Chennai on Monday, September 21, 2026, to assess preparations for the upcoming expansion of the 'Vettri Payanam' free bus travel scheme for women.

The expanded public transport initiative is scheduled for a formal rollout across the state on Gandhi Jayanti, October 2, 2026. According to the state government, the move follows a suo motu statement made earlier by the Chief Minister in the Legislative Assembly regarding the broadening of the scheme, which was previously known as 'Vidiyal Payanam'.

Under the newly widened framework, women passengers will be permitted to travel free of charge for distances of up to 40 kilometres. The benefit will now extend beyond basic town services to encompass Express, Low Floor / LSS, Deluxe, Mofussil Ordinary, and Ghat Ordinary bus operations across Tamil Nadu.

State officials confirmed that an aggregate of 12,692 buses have been incorporated under the revised initiative. The government estimates that approximately 84.32 lakh women across the state will benefit from the broadened eligibility and network coverage.

Technical arrangements for ticketing and verification are already nearing completion ahead of the official launch. An official release stated that the work of integrating and linking the Electronic Ticket Machines (ETMs) across the designated fleet has been finished.

To ensure seamless execution on the ground, transport authorities will carry out a preliminary trial run on September 27, 2026, ahead of the full implementation on October 2.