Vettri Payanam Thittam: what is the economic mileage of a no-fare bus ride?
The Tamil Nadu government has launched Vetri Payanam Thittam, a free‑fare bus service introduced on Gandhi Jayanti as an expansion of the women‑only zero‑fare Vidiyal Payanam scheme. Officials estimate the program will add about ₹1,600 crore to annual expenses, reaching a cumulative outlay of roughly ₹6,000 crore. The plan seeks to boost public‑transport use, but experts question its fiscal sustainability.