Chennai, Oct 5:
The Tamil Nadu Transport Department has issued 17 guidelines for implementing the ‘Vetri Payanam’ scheme, launched by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on October 2 to provide free travel to women, girls and transgender passengers in specified government bus services.
The scheme covers Town/City Ordinary, Express, LSS, Deluxe, Mofussil Ordinary and Ghat Ordinary services. There is no income ceiling or limit on the number of journeys. Transport corporations have been directed to update Route Master and Service Master details and ensure that all eligible services are correctly linked to ETMs and software systems.
No fare should be collected from eligible passengers and a ZERO Ticket must be issued for every qualifying journey. ETMs should be kept functional, with alternative arrangements made for issuing ZERO Tickets if a machine fails. In Town Express, LSS, Deluxe, Mofussil Ordinary and Ghat Ordinary services, From/Origin and To/Destination details must be recorded. Manual ZERO Tickets issued during ETM failures should also be entered in the Waybill or Ticket Register.
Ticket inspectors must verify ZERO Ticket issuance and compliance with routes, service types and schedules. However, eligible passengers should not be fined merely because a ZERO Ticket was not issued.
For inter-State ordinary services passing through Tamil Nadu, the free-travel facility will apply only within Tamil Nadu. If a passenger boards or gets down in a neighbouring State or Union Territory, the applicable fare must be collected.
Digital route boards on eligible buses should display “Vetri Payanam”, while buses without such boards should carry the authorised sticker. Drivers, conductors and other staff must be briefed on eligibility, ticketing and complaint procedures.
Daily and monthly reports on ZERO Tickets should be generated service-wise, with ETM records, Manual Tickets, Waybills and accounting records cross-checked. The records should be maintained properly for compensation calculation and audit.
Field monitoring should be conducted at major bus stands, educational institutions, industrial areas, hospitals and markets to identify overcrowding, long waits, delays and service deficiencies. Corrective action should be taken immediately.
Drivers must adhere to prescribed routes, stops and timetables and provide sufficient time for safe boarding and alighting. Buses should be maintained in good condition, with adequate drivers, conductors and reserve buses arranged in advance. Cancellation, non-operation, late running, curtailment and route diversion should be avoided, particularly during peak, school, college and office hours.
Complaints can be registered through the toll-free customer care number 149 and will be monitored at corporation, regional and branch levels. The Deputy Manager (Commercial) of each transport corporation will act as Nodal Officer and complaints should be closed only after action is verified.