A government study has found that the expanded free bus travel scheme for women is reshaping shopping patterns across Tamil Nadu, hurting small local traders while increasing sales in cities and major towns.
The free travel programme, earlier run as “Vidiyal Payanam” during the previous DMK government, allowed women to travel without fare on ordinary buses. Officials said an average of 59 lakh passengers used about 7,500 regular city and hill-route buses daily under that phase.
The current government led by Chief Minister Vijay expanded the scheme from October 2 under the name “Vetri Payanam”. Under the revised rules, women can travel free on all buses except AC services in Chennai and other major cities, and on ordinary, LSS and hill-route ordinary buses in districts.
According to initial findings from the ongoing review, the wider access has encouraged groups of women from villages to travel to towns and cities to buy groceries, textiles and household items from large wholesale outlets instead of purchasing from local shops.
Government sources said this has helped families save on expenses and has also increased travel for family functions and visits to relatives and friends, while local markets report a decline and city businesses see a sharp rise.
