Vettri Payanam scheme plunges auto and private bus operators into livelihood crisis

While the Tamil Nadu government’s newly expanded Vettri Payanam no-fare bus scheme has been lauded as a milestone for women’s empowerment and financial relief, it has inadvertently triggered a severe livelihood crisis for private transport workers across the state.

Auto-rickshaw drivers and private bus operators lamented that their daily collections have plummeted drastically, leaving them struggling to make ends meet.

The Vetri Payanam initiative, which provides free travel for women across State-run transport corporation buses — including express, deluxe, and mofussil services — has fundamentally altered commuter habits.

With millions of women passengers shifting en masse to zero-fare government buses, traditional alternative transport providers are feeling the pinch.

For auto-rickshaw drivers, who heavily rely on daily local commuters and working women for short-to-medium distance trips, the impact has been immediate.

Driven to desperation, frustrated share-auto drivers in Madurai have shared videos from major hubs like Goripalayam and Sellur, pleading with women to ride for free and pay whatever they wish. “Our daily bookings have dropped by more than half,” shared Murali, an auto driver in Madurai.

“Women who used to take an auto or share-auto for urgent commutes now prefer to wait for government buses. We completely support women traveling free, but with soaring fuel prices and loan repayments, our daily earnings are barely enough to feed our families,” he said.

Private bus owners are facing an equally grim reality. Unable to match the State-funded zero-fare model, private bus operators claimed they are fighting a losing battle against subsidised State transport corporations. Passenger volumes on private routes have dwindled, squeezing profit margins to near zero.

“We are expected to pay heavy road taxes, high diesel prices, and staff salaries without any government subsidy,” noted a representative of the Tamil Nadu Private Bus Owners Association.

“How can private operators compete when a parallel government service offers zero-fare travel on identical routes? Many operators are on the brink of closing down operations, threatening thousands of jobs,” he said.

Private bus owners pointed out that while State-backed welfare schemes successfully champion social goals, transitional safety nets or regulatory adjustments are urgently needed to protect informal transport sectors.