Vijay Reviews Rollout of Expanded Free Bus Travel Scheme for Women
The flagship initiative is projected to benefit an estimated 84.32 lakh women daily, allowing them fare-free commutes on 12,692 designated government buses, an official release said
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday reviewed the preparations for 'Vetri Payanam', the state's expanded free bus travel scheme for women scheduled for a statewide launch on October 2. The flagship initiative is projected to benefit an estimated 84.32 lakh women daily, allowing them fare-free commutes on 12,692 designated government buses, an official release here said.
Expanding on the existing concessions available on ordinary city and town fleets, 'Vetri Payanam' will now cover Express, Limited Stop Service (LSS), and Deluxe buses within corporation and municipal limits, alongside Mofussil Ordinary and Ghat Ordinary buses travelling beyond 40 kilometres.
According to the release, the designated vehicles account for 69 per cent of the total fleet operated by the seven State Transport Corporations. They will execute 1,65,312 single trips daily, constituting 85 per cent of the state's total bus operations.
On the operational front, the integration of Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETM) across the designated buses has been completed.
Officials have been directed to finish system testing and verification by September 25, which will be followed by a trial run on September 27.
Announced in the Assembly on August 24, the scheme aims to ensure women and girl students do not miss out on employment or educational opportunities due to transport costs, providing them unhindered access to workplaces, colleges, and essential medical facilities.
State Transport Minister A Vijay Thamizhan Parthiban, Chief Secretary M Saikumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) M Asithick, Transport Secretary Ila Nithirmalraj, and other senior bureaucrats participated in the review meeting held at the Secretariat.