Tamil Nadu’s free bus scheme for women, named Vettri Payanam, will be launched on October 2 and is expected to benefit 84.32 lakh women passengers every day, according to a statement issued by the state government. The scheme will operate across the state through government-run buses and is intended to improve access to education, employment, healthcare and essential services.
The announcement followed a review meeting on preparations for the programme at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat on September 21. Chief Minister Vijay chaired the meeting, according to the government statement reported by Dinamalar.
Under the scheme, 12,692 of the 18,413 buses operated by state transport corporations will be covered. This represents 69% of the total fleet. The government said the services would provide women with easily accessible public transport facilities across Tamil Nadu without requiring them to pay fares on the covered buses.
The government said the scheme would help female students travel to colleges located far from their homes. It also identified commuting to workplaces, accessing medical care and reaching other essential services as key uses of the fare-free travel facility.
The scale of the planned coverage makes the programme a significant operational measure for Tamil Nadu’s public bus network. More than two-thirds of the total fleet is included in the government’s announcement, while the stated daily beneficiary estimate indicates that the scheme is aimed at routine travel rather than a limited or short-term service.
The announcement does not specify in the supplied report how eligibility will be identified, whether all routes served by the selected buses will be covered, or how the transport corporations will be compensated for the fare revenue involved. The government’s next stated milestone is the launch of Vettri Payanam on October 2.
