Madras High Court dismisses challenge to Tamil Nadu free bus scheme

The Madras High Court has dismissed a petition filed by a private bus operator challenging the constitutional validity of the ‘Vetri Payanam’ scheme in Tamil Nadu. The scheme, launched by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on October 2, provides free bus travel for women and transgender passengers in state-run buses.

The petitioner, N. Kalamani, an operator from Erode, argued that the scheme would cause severe financial losses to private bus operators. She contended that the policy violates the right to equality under Article 14 of the Constitution, as it applies only to government buses and not to private ones. Kalamani expressed concerns that the loss of female passengers, along with their male family members, would force private businesses to close.

The court dismissed the petition after the petitioner withdrew the application. The scheme is reported to benefit approximately 84.32 lakh women daily across various bus services, including express and deluxe routes, with an estimated annual government expenditure of 6,000 crore rupees.