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Sarkari Yojana
Private Bus Operators Petition Tamil Nadu High Court to Halt Women’s Free Travel Scheme
✍️ India Today
🗓 04 Oct 2026, 07:47 PM
👁 16
A group of private bus operators has filed a petition in the Tamil Nadu High Court seeking to suspend the state’s free bus travel scheme for women, arguing it harms their business.
The Tamil Nadu government’s free bus travel scheme for women, launched earlier this year to promote gender‑inclusive mobility, has come under legal challenge. A consortium of private bus operators approached the Tamil Nadu High Court, requesting an interim order to stay the scheme’s implementation, citing financial losses and alleged unfair competition.
The petitioners contend that the scheme, which allows women to travel without paying fare on state‑run and private buses, deprives private operators of revenue and undermines the viability of their services. They argue that the government did not consult the transport sector before announcing the policy and that the scheme violates principles of equal treatment under the law.
The state government, through its transport department, has responded that the scheme is a welfare measure aimed at empowering women and that it complies with existing statutes. Officials said they are prepared to defend the policy in court and will consider any reasonable adjustments if the court deems necessary.
The High Court has scheduled a hearing for next week, during which both sides will present their arguments. The outcome will determine whether the free travel benefit continues while the case is adjudicated, affecting thousands of women commuters across Tamil Nadu.
The petitioners contend that the scheme, which allows women to travel without paying fare on state‑run and private buses, deprives private operators of revenue and undermines the viability of their services. They argue that the government did not consult the transport sector before announcing the policy and that the scheme violates principles of equal treatment under the law.
The state government, through its transport department, has responded that the scheme is a welfare measure aimed at empowering women and that it complies with existing statutes. Officials said they are prepared to defend the policy in court and will consider any reasonable adjustments if the court deems necessary.
The High Court has scheduled a hearing for next week, during which both sides will present their arguments. The outcome will determine whether the free travel benefit continues while the case is adjudicated, affecting thousands of women commuters across Tamil Nadu.