Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, popularly known as ‘Thalapathy’, took on an unusual role on Friday, October 2, 2026, when he stepped aboard a government bus in Chennai and handed out free tickets to women and transgender passengers.
The gesture marked the formal expansion of the state government’s ‘Vettri Payanam Thittam’ (Victorious Journey Scheme). The launch was held on Gandhi Jayanti at the Koyambedu Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT).
Vijay boarded the Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s 76B service, which operates between Koyambedu and Kancheepuram. Wearing a formal shirt, he interacted with passengers, operated a handheld ticketing machine and distributed zero-fare tickets during the journey.
The unusual sight quickly attracted attention, with commuters capturing videos and photographs on their phones. College students travelling on the bus also shared chocolates with the Chief Minister during the interaction.
Vettri Payanam Scheme Gets Wider Coverage
The expanded scheme is aimed at improving access to public transport while supporting the economic empowerment of women and transgender persons.
The initiative was earlier known as the ‘Magalir Vidiyal Payanam’ scheme, introduced by the previous government in May 2021. Chief Minister Vijay announced its expansion in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on August 24, 2026, under Rule 110.
Under the revised scheme, free travel is no longer restricted to ordinary city and town buses and certain hill routes covering up to 40 kilometres. Women and transgender passengers can now travel free of cost on Express, LSS (Limited Stop Service) and Deluxe buses in metropolitan and urban areas, along with Mofussil Ordinary buses and Ghat Ordinary services operating beyond 40 kilometres.
Scheme to Cover Nearly 69% of State Transport Fleet
The expanded Vettri Payanam Thittam will cover 12,695 buses, accounting for approximately 69% of the total fleet operated by seven state transport corporations.
The government estimates that around 84.32 lakh women will benefit from the scheme every day, with approximately 1,68,500 single trips covered daily. The annual expenditure for the programme is estimated at ₹6,000 crore.
There is no income ceiling for beneficiaries, and passengers can make any number of eligible trips in a day.
However, the scheme has not yet been implemented in Chengalpattu and Tiruppur districts because of ongoing by-elections. Long-distance services operated by the State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) are also outside the scheme.
Government Highlights Impact on Women and Transgender Passengers
Tamil Nadu Transport Minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban described the expanded initiative as a “social revolution”, highlighting its role in reducing transportation costs that can otherwise create barriers to education, employment and healthcare for women and transgender people.
The state government has also introduced Electronic Ticketing Machine (ETM) systems to maintain accurate records of journeys made under the free travel programme.
Chief Minister Vijay’s interaction with commuters is part of his recent public engagements involving state-run bus services. In June, he also travelled by bus from the Secretariat after flagging off new buses.