CHENNAI: The CM on Wednesday flagged off 214 new buses for six transportation corporations at Island Ground in Chennai. He also interacted with woman commuters aboard a government bus operating under the Vidiyal Payanam scheme — which provides free bus rides for women — in the city, as the DMK government completes four years after assuming office in May 2021.
An official stated that while travelling from the Secretariat to the Anna Centenary Library, the CM boarded route number 32B — running from Vallalalar Nagar to Vivekananda Illam — at the Omandurar Government Estate bus stop. During the journey, he spoke with woman commuters and enquired about the scheme’s impact as it enters its fifth year since implementation.
The woman commuters shared that the initiative has helped them save around Rs 2,000 per month, which they now use for essential expenses like healthcare, education and others. The CM also directed the bus crew to ensure that buses halt at designated stops so women can fully benefit from the scheme.
Out of a total of 214 new buses, 27 were allocated to SETC, 114 to Villupuram TNSTC, 10 to Salem, 31 to Coimbatore, 14 to Madurai and 18 to the Tirunelveli division. Of these, 70 buses are ordinary services operating under the Magalir Vidiyal Payanam scheme, according to an official statement.
The DMK government took office, 3,727 new buses have been introduced and 1,500 existing buses have been refurbished, the statement said.