India, Aug. 25 -- Tamil Nadu has become one of at least eight states with a year-round free bus travel scheme for women. The state will extend free bus travel for women and transgender persons to deluxe, express and limited-stop services in Chennai and other cities from October 2, Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced on Monday.

Several Indian states have initiated free travel schemes targeting women in recent years. Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh along with Delhi to name a few. The move by states have both political, economic and like in the case of Kerala, judicial implications.

In Tamil Nadu, the initiative is an expansion of the bus fleet that adds 4,641 buses to the Vettri Payanam scheme,...