'Ticket please!': Tamil Nadu CM Vijay turns bus conductor, hands out free tickets to women

Pictures of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay working as a bus conductor have taken over social media. On October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, he launched the expanded 'Vettri Payanam' free bus travel scheme for women at Chennai's Koyambedu bus terminus.

After the launch, the chief minister boarded a city bus and, like a conductor, personally handed zero-fare tickets to women passengers, chatting with them along the way.

College students on the bus shared Dairy Milk chocolates with him, and pictures and clips of the light-hearted moment spread quickly online.

Under the expanded scheme, women and transgender passengers can travel free on 12,695 buses run by seven state transport corporations, now including express and deluxe services. The government says about 84.32 lakh women will benefit every day.

Transport Minister A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban called it a "social revolution", saying travel costs would no longer be a barrier to women's education, jobs and livelihoods.