Tamil Nadu chief minister expands free bus travel for women under Vetri Payanam

Tamil Nadu expands free bus travel for women under Vetri Payanam

On Friday, 2 October 2026 – Gandhi Jayanti – Tamil Nadu chief minister C. Joseph Vijay launched the Vetri Payanam Thittam, a rebranded version of the state’s earlier “zero‑ticket” scheme. The announcement came from the podium in Chennai and instantly made free travel available to women on almost 69 % of the state’s buses.

Under the new rules, women can ride ordinary, express, limited‑stop (LSS) and deluxe buses in cities and towns, ordinary services in mofussil (rural) areas, and ordinary services in ghat sections beyond 40 km. In total, 12,695 of the 18,413 buses run by Tamil Nadu’s seven transport corporations are covered. The government estimates that 84.32 lakh women will benefit daily, with around 1,68,500 single‑trip rides made each day. The scheme is projected to cost the state about ₹6,000 crore per year.

The programme builds on the original Magalir Vidiyal Payanam launched in May 2021 by the previous administration. That initiative allowed free rides on ordinary city and hill‑area buses up to 40 km and was later extended to transgender persons and people with disabilities. Vijay’s government renamed the scheme to Vetri Payanam as part of a promised election pledge, though long‑distance trips – for example Chennai to Madurai – still require a ticket.

A 2022 field study by the State Planning Commission recorded nearly 898 crore zero‑ticket trips since the scheme’s inception, with women passengers in Chennai saving up to ₹858 a month on average. The expansion is expected to amplify those savings, especially for daily commuters in urban and semi‑urban areas.

Delhi Metro tightens security amid planned protests

While Tamil Nadu celebrated the transport rollout, authorities in Delhi took a very different approach. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) announced the closure of entry‑exit gates at 11 central stations – Janpath, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Rajiv Chowk, Seva Tirth, Mandi House, Lok Kalyan Marg, INA, Chawri Bazar, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg and New Delhi – until further notice.

Interchange facilities remain open at Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House, New Delhi and Central Secretariat, but the move is a precautionary step ahead of demonstrations organised by the Cockroach Janata Party and other opposition groups demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed across central Delhi, and routes leading to Jantar Mantar have been sealed under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.

Organisers said the protests will start from Mumbai, prompting Delhi’s law‑enforcement agencies to reinforce security cordons and prevent unauthorised gatherings. The station closures are expected to remain in place until the threat level eases.

What the expansion means for commuters

For the estimated 84.32 lakh women across Tamil Nadu, the Vetri Payanam Thittam removes a daily cost barrier that previously ranged between ₹756 and ₹1,012 per month, according to the 2022 study. The scheme also aims to boost women’s disposable income and support greater participation in the workforce, a goal the state highlighted during the launch.

In Delhi, commuters will have to adjust to the temporary gate closures, but the Metro assures that interchange routes remain functional, mitigating the impact on daily travel.

The juxtaposition of a large‑scale social welfare rollout in the south and heightened security measures in the capital underscores the varied challenges Indian states face as they balance development, politics and public order.