CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Friday launched the expanded Vettri Payanam scheme at the Koyambedu bus terminus, under which women and transgender persons can travel free of cost in government buses across Tamil Nadu.
Vijay formally launched the scheme by distributing free tickets to women passengers waiting inside buses at the terminus. The gesture marked the commencement of the expanded free-travel facility, which is expected to benefit around 84.32 lakh women every day.
A total of 12,692 government buses have been brought under the expanded scheme. This accounts for 69% of the 18,413 scheduled buses operated by the seven state transport undertakings. Of the total 1,94,649 scheduled trips (singles), 1,65,312 trips, or 85%, will be operated under the scheme.
The expansion covers Express, LSS and Deluxe buses operating within cities and urban areas, Mofussil Ordinary buses and Ghat Ordinary buses operating beyond 40 km, in addition to the services already covered by the free-travel scheme. However, buses operated by State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) have been excluded from the scheme.
The implementation of this scheme will entail an annual expenditure of approximately Rs 6,000 crore.
Under the women’s free bus travel scheme (Vidiyal Payanam) launched by previous DMK government, women are permitted to travel only in ordinary city and town buses and ordinary buses operating in hilly areas for distances up to 40 km. Free travel was not permitted in Express, LSS, Deluxe and Mofussil buses.
The Electronic Ticketing Machine (ETM) systems in the buses have been integrated to record the free journeys. The government had completed the integration work, with testing and verification and trial runs were conducted on September 27.
The expansion is aimed at widening access to free public transport for women, including students travelling to colleges located far from their homes and women travelling to workplaces, hospitals and for essential services, transport minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban said.