CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday hailed the success of the 'Vidiyal Payanam' free bus travel scheme for women, stating that the initiative has recorded nearly 898 crore trips since its inception.
Describing the scheme as his first signature towards writing a new future for the state, the chief minister noted that the project, which began as a cornerstone of the Dravidian Model of governance, now operates through a fleet of 7,712 buses.
Stalin emphasised that the steady annual increase in usage serves as a testament to the success of the initiative, which has facilitated safe and independent travel for women across the state.
Providing a year-wise breakup of the trips recorded until March 1 on X, the Chief Minister stated that the numbers have grown consistently from 95.86 crore trips in 2021-22 to 235.14 crore trips in the 2025-26 period.
"The cumulative total of free journeys undertaken by beneficiaries currently stands at 897.82 crore. Apart from women, the scheme also extends its benefits to transgender persons and persons with disabilities," added the CM.
Stalin claimed that the model pioneered by Tamil Nadu has gained national traction, with several other states now following suit and implementing similar welfare measures for public transport.
The chief minister asserted that the scheme has reached a stage where it cannot be altered or dismantled by any future administration due to its deep impact on socio-economic progress.
He further promised that the initiative would be further enhanced under what he termed as Dravidian Model 2.0 to ensure greater reach and efficiency.