Pink Saheli card must for free bus rides for women from Aug 1

The Delhi Government has announced that the paper-based Pink Ticket system for free bus travel for women in DTC and Cluster buses will be discontinued after July 31, 2026, with the Pink Saheli Smart Card based on the National Common Mobility Card becoming the sole mode for availing the free travel facility from August 1. Transport Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh announced on Friday.

Approximately 15 lakh Pink Saheli Smart Cards have already been issued. Women who have not yet obtained the card have been urged to register at the earliest, though Kumar Singh clarified there is no deadline for registration and the card issuance process will continue beyond July 31 at DTC depots and special camps.

Singh said the transition is aimed at introducing a more transparent, efficient, and accountable system for women commuters. He said the government is fully committed to ensuring that no eligible woman is deprived of the free travel benefit through the transition.

“Pink Tickets will remain valid till July 31, and from August 1, women possessing the Pink Saheli Smart Card will continue to travel free of cost. Nearly 15 lakh cards have already been issued, and I appeal to all our mothers and sisters who have not yet obtained the card to do so at the earliest. The card offers multiple benefits besides free travel and will help bring greater transparency, efficiency and accountability to the system. Even after July 31, the process of issuing Pink Saheli Smart Cards will continue at DTC depots and Special Camps, and the Delhi Government will ensure that no eligible beneficiary is deprived of this facility,” he said.

The Pink Saheli Smart Card is an NCMC-compatible smart card. Women commuters who obtain the card will be able to tap in and travel free of cost on DTC buses from August 1. The paper ticket system, under which women currently receive printed pink tickets at bus entry points or depots for each journey, will be phased out as part of the transition.

The shift to a smart card system has been under discussion for some time as the government sought to move away from paper-based travel passes that are harder to track in aggregate terms and more prone to misuse. The NCMC-based format allows for digital recording of journeys, better beneficiary management, and the potential to link the free travel benefit to other mobility services as the National Common Mobility Card ecosystem expands across Metro and bus networks in Delhi.

The free bus travel scheme for women in Delhi has been in operation for several years and is among the more widely used welfare transport measures in the capital.

The paper Pink Ticket system served as the original mechanism for its implementation. The transition to a smart card represents the next phase of the scheme’s administration rather than any change to its core entitlement. Women who have not yet registered for the Pink Saheli Smart Card can do so at DTC depots across the city.

Special camps will also be organised for registration. Singh reiterated that the July 31 date applies only to the validity of paper tickets and not to the card registration process, which will remain open after that date.