Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday launched the expanded ‘Vettri Payanam’ scheme, providing free bus travel for women across the state. The programme was launched at the Koyambedu Bus Terminus in Chennai and coincided with Gandhi Jayanti. During the launch event, Vijay issued zero-fare tickets to women passengers, marking the expansion of the initiative aimed at increasing access to free public transport for women using state-run bus services. The expanded programme is set to significantly increase the number of buses and daily services covered under the scheme. Under the expanded arrangement, a total of 12,695 buses will operate 1,68,500 single trips every day under the free travel scheme.

The Tamil Nadu government estimates that approximately 84.32 lakh women passengers across the state will benefit from the programme every day. The figures represent the scale of the expanded service network, with thousands of buses making multiple trips daily on routes used by women for regular travel. The scheme is expected to provide free journeys to a large number of passengers who rely on public buses as part of their daily transportation. The launch at Koyambedu Bus Terminus included the distribution of zero-fare tickets to women passengers, with Vijay personally issuing tickets as part of the formal rollout.

The event brought attention to the direct nature of the benefit, with eligible women able to undertake journeys on participating state-run buses without paying the regular fare. By expanding the number of services covered, the government is seeking to make the benefit available across a larger network and provide women with greater access to public transportation throughout Tamil Nadu. The Vettri Payanam scheme is focused on reducing the cost of routine bus travel for women passengers. For people who use public transport frequently, the removal of fares can lower their regular commuting expenses and make bus travel more accessible.

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The scale of the expansion is reflected in the daily service numbers announced by the government. With 12,695 buses and 1,68,500 single trips operating each day under the scheme, the programme will cover a substantial volume of public transport services across different parts of the state. The government has projected that 84.32 lakh women passengers will use the benefit every day. The estimate indicates the expected reach of the scheme rather than the number of individual women who will necessarily travel every day, as passenger usage can vary according to routes, work schedules, travel requirements and other factors. The expansion nevertheless places the initiative among the state's large-scale public transport programmes in terms of the number of services and passengers expected to be covered.

The increased availability of free bus services also has implications for women who depend on buses for work, education, household responsibilities and other routine journeys. By allowing eligible passengers to travel without paying a fare, the programme can reduce the direct financial burden associated with repeated public transport use. The expanded daily trips are intended to ensure that the benefit is supported by sufficient bus services rather than being limited to a smaller number of routes or journeys. At the Chennai launch, the issuing of zero-fare tickets provided a visible demonstration of how the expanded programme will operate for passengers.

Women travelling on eligible services can receive tickets without paying the applicable fare. The government has linked the expansion to the wider availability of services across Tamil Nadu, with the announced fleet and trip numbers intended to extend the reach of the initiative. The rollout comes as the state expands the scale of the free travel programme to serve more women passengers through its public bus network. With 12,695 buses scheduled to make 1,68,500 single trips each day, the government expects the scheme to benefit around 84.32 lakh women passengers daily. Vijay's launch at Koyambedu, where he issued zero-fare tickets to women passengers, formally marked the beginning of the expanded Vettri Payanam services across Tamil Nadu.

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