Tamil Nadu bus scheme benefits 5.9 crore passengers

The expanded ‘Vettri Payanam’ scheme, which provides free bus travel for women in Tamil Nadu, has benefited approximately 5.9 crore passengers since its rollout on October 2. On October 7 alone, an estimated 88 lakh women utilized the service.

In addition to the free travel for women, male commuters have seen fare reductions on specific routes due to structural changes in bus operations. Transport authorities have redesignated several higher-fare routes, such as Express, LSS, and Deluxe services, back to ordinary or simplified schedules to accommodate the increased passenger volume and align with subsidy tracking. This shift has resulted in automatic ticket price drops for men ranging from Rs 3 to Rs 12 on certain routes.