Tamil Nadu has shifted 340 intercity and suburban government buses from express or deluxe categories to ordinary-fare services under the expanded ‘Vettri Payanam’ scheme, reducing ticket prices for male passengers by up to Rs 15 depending on distance, according to transport officials quoted by Dinamalar.
The buses are operating across districts and include express, deluxe suburban and hill-area services. The change also allows women to travel free on these buses under the state’s women’s free travel programme, which has been expanded under the name ‘Vettri Payanam’.
The programme applies to ordinary and deluxe buses operating in metropolitan and urban areas, ordinary suburban buses running between districts, and ordinary buses serving hill areas. Buses covered by the scheme are identified with ‘Vettri Payanam’ stickers and digital display boards so passengers can distinguish them from other services.
Transport officials said women are currently permitted to travel free on 12,695 government buses. This fleet includes metropolitan express and deluxe buses, suburban ordinary-fare buses and ordinary hill-area buses operating on routes longer than 40 km.
The officials said the number of suburban ordinary-fare buses operating between districts and major towns has risen to 2,390. Before the latest expansion, 2,050 buses were operating in this category. The increase comprises 340 express and deluxe suburban buses that have now been converted to ordinary-fare services.
For male passengers, the reclassification means that fares on the affected buses have fallen by between Rs 10 and Rs 15, depending on the distance travelled. The reported reduction applies to the buses shifted to the ordinary-fare category and not to all government buses across the state.
The expansion follows the state government’s earlier introduction of free travel for women on ordinary-fare buses. According to the report, the initiative has increased the number of women passengers using eligible ordinary and deluxe services in Chennai, as well as ordinary suburban buses in the districts.
The fare change links two operational outcomes within the state transport system: wider access to buses covered by the women’s free travel programme and lower fares for other passengers using the reclassified services. The transport authorities’ stated fleet figures indicate that the change has been implemented through service-category conversion rather than a general reduction across the entire government bus network.
The affected buses are expected to continue operating with the ‘Vettri Payanam’ identification stickers and digital boards, while passengers will pay fares according to the ordinary-fare structure on the converted services.
