Tamil Nadu will widen the Vettri Payanam Scheme from October 2, 2026 (Gandhi Jayanti), allowing women to travel free on express, Limited Stop Service (LSS), deluxe and mofussil buses. Until now, free rides were largely confined to ordinary buses in cities and municipal areas and to hill routes of up to 40 km. No income limit or other condition applies, and transgender persons are also covered. The expansion is expected to cost the State Government about ₹6,000 crore every year.