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Vettri Payanam: Free Bus Travel for Women on Chennai MTC

Since 2 October, women and transgender persons ride free on Express, LSS and Deluxe government buses too. What Vettri Payanam covers and how to plan MTC trips.

18 October 2026

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Free bus travel for women now on deluxe buses

Women and transgender persons can now travel free on more classes of government buses in Tamil Nadu, not only the ordinary “white board” town buses. On 2 October 2026 Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay launched the expanded scheme, named Vettri Payanam. It adds Express, LSS (limited stop) and Deluxe services in urban and city areas, DT Next reported. The launch was held at the Koyambedu (CMBT) terminus, where the Chief Minister handed out zero-fare tickets on route 76B to Kancheepuram.

The earlier free-travel scheme, Vidiyal Payanam, has run on ordinary city buses since 8 May 2021, according to the MTC website. The new scheme builds on it rather than replacing it. Here is what changed, how to find the right bus in Chennai and which apps help.

What Vettri Payanam covers

According to the state’s announcement as reported by DT Next and Deccan Herald:

Before 2 October: free travel on ordinary town buses, and on ghat ordinary buses on hill routes up to 40 km.
From 2 October: Express, LSS and Deluxe government buses in urban and city areas, mofussil ordinary buses, and ghat ordinary buses on hill routes longer than 40 km were added.
Who qualifies: women and transgender persons.
Scale: Transport Minister Vijay Tamilan Parthiban said 12,695 of the 18,413 buses run by the seven state transport undertakings are now covered. About 85 lakh women are expected to use the scheme daily, compared with an average of 71.7 lakh under the old one.

None of the reports said that air-conditioned buses are included, so do not assume an AC bus is free. Ask the conductor, who will issue a zero-fare ticket on an eligible bus. A separate DT Next explainer noted there is no overall distance cap, since women can change buses at designated stops to go further. It gave typical distances of around 30 to 100 km for express buses and 30 to 50 km for deluxe buses.

For Chennai riders, the main change is on MTC’s deluxe and express services, which used to be paid. Check the board on the bus before boarding, and if you have a question, ask the conductor or the depot rather than relying on hearsay.

Finding the right MTC route

MTC runs city buses across the Chennai metropolitan area. These are the easiest ways to work out which bus to take:

Chennai Bus app (Android). MTC’s live-tracking app was launched in 2022 and shows where buses on a route are in real time. It also estimates arrival times, lists stops within a kilometre of you and suggests route numbers between two points. It has an SOS button that alerts contacts you have saved and is available in Tamil and English, The News Minute reported.
Chennai One app. The state’s CUMTA app plans and books trips across MTC, metro and some autos with one QR ticket, PTI reported at its launch. According to MTC’s website, monthly bus passes are now available in digital form through Chennai One.
Route information on mtcbus.tn.gov.in. The MTC site has a route information section and notices about new services, such as electric bus deployments.

For metro feeder trips, MTC runs small buses from stations such as Alandur, Airport, Guindy, Little Mount, Koyambedu and Thirumangalam to nearby areas. Examples are S82 to Madipakkam bus stand and S100 from the airport metro to Tambaram East. The current list is on CMRL’s feeder service page.

Paying fares when you do pay

Men, and women on buses outside the scheme, can pay the conductor in cash or by UPI or debit card. They can also tap a Singara Chennai (NCMC) card, which MTC ticket machines accept and which also works on the metro, Citizen Matters reported. MTC issues these cards at selected depot counters, and the card itself is free.

Things to keep in mind

The free ride covers the ticket only. Rules on luggage and standing are the same as for any passenger.
Even on a zero-fare trip, take the ticket the conductor gives you. The count is used to plan services and claim subsidy.
Transgender passengers are covered by the scheme. If you are refused a ticket, note the bus number, time and route.
Complaints can be raised with the depot. Contact numbers for depot managers are listed in the Chennai Bus app.

Quick answers

What is the name of the free bus scheme for women in Tamil Nadu now?

The expanded scheme launched on 2 October 2026 is called Vettri Payanam. It builds on the earlier Vidiyal Payanam scheme for ordinary town buses.

Are MTC deluxe buses free for women?

Yes. Deluxe, Express and LSS government buses in city areas were added from 2 October 2026. AC buses were not mentioned in the announcement.

Which app shows live MTC bus locations?

MTC’s Chennai Bus app on Android shows live bus positions and arrival estimates. Chennai One handles combined bus and metro tickets.

Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.