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Managing Director of State Express Transport Corporation K. Gunasekaran and Managing Director of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Coimbatore Ltd. S. Gopalakrishnan on Thursday (September 24) took stock of the preparedness for implementing the ‘Vetri Payanam Thittam’ in the Coimbatore region, which encompasses Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruppur and The Nilgiris districts. Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay will launch the scheme on October 2.
The scheme, an improvement over the Vidiyal Payanam Thittam introduced in 2021, envisages extending free travel for women and transgenders to additional bus services in metropolitan and urban areas.
In addition to the ordinary-fare government buses, the beneficiaries, under Vetri Vidiyal Panayam Scheme, will be able to travel for free on Express, LSS (Limited Stop Service), and Deluxe buses in metropolitan and urban areas.
Mr. Gopalakrishnan also visited the Sulur and Palladam branches of TNSTC, Coimbatore Ltd., and explained the modalities of the scheme to drivers, conductors and other employees.
There will be no income limit and no restriction on the number of journeys for the beneficiaries, according to the officials.
The new scheme will further broaden the benefit to women through savings on transportation costs, and increasing their access to work, education, and healthcare.
The State government had earlier announced that the Vetri Payanam Thittam will cover 12,692 government buses, including Express, LSS, Deluxe, Mofussil, Ordinary and Ghat Ordinary services, across Tamil Nadu.
Published – September 24, 2026 06:49 pm IST
