Free bus travel for women to stop in Delhi if…: Check what you need to do to continue benefits

Women commuters travelling for free on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses will be required to use Pink Saheli Smart Cards from July as the Delhi government moves towards phasing out the existing pink ticket system introduced in 2019.

According to officials, women availing the free travel facility will need to tap their pink cards while boarding buses to digitally record their journeys.

Move linked to national mobility framework

The transition is aimed at streamlining the subsidy system and integrating it with the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) framework under the Centre’s ‘One Nation, One Card’ initiative, an official said.


President Droupadi Murmu launched the Pink Saheli Smart Card initiative on March 2 this year. Since registrations began, around six lakh women commuters have obtained the card from 58 centres across Delhi. However, only 5 per cent to 6 per cent of users are currently tapping the card during travel.

Low adoption despite large commuter base

Over 10 lakh women travel daily on DTC and cluster buses, with many making multiple trips. Officials said the continued availability of the pink ticket system has contributed to low adoption of the smart card.

A senior official said the government is encouraging a gradual digital shift before making the system mandatory.

Awareness drive before strict implementation

Authorities have said strict enforcement is being avoided for now due to the summer season. Awareness campaigns will be conducted on buses and at depots in the coming weeks to educate passengers on card usage and guidelines.

Eligibility and registration rules

The scheme is restricted to women residing in Delhi. Applicants must provide a Delhi Aadhaar card and an Aadhaar-linked mobile number at the time of registration. Women aged 12 years and above are eligible to apply.

Benefits of smart card system

Transport officials said the shift to smart cards will help reduce misuse of pink tickets, improve passenger data collection and ensure greater transparency in subsidy distribution. The system will also enable real-time monitoring of women’s ridership patterns.

Budget allocation and operational scale

The Delhi government has allocated Rs 450 crore in the 2026-27 budget for continuation of the free travel scheme. The funding will support operational subsidies and technological integration under the NCMC platform, officials said.

Survey planned to assess commuter behaviour

The Delhi Transport Corporation plans to conduct a random survey among women passengers to understand continued dependence on pink tickets. The exercise will examine issues such as smart card availability, inter-state travel concerns and conductors’ compliance in encouraging card usage.

Existing transport network

Delhi currently operates around 5,500 buses, with women forming a significant share of daily commuters. The pink ticket scheme was introduced in 2019 by the then Aam Aadmi Party government.