Pink cards for free bus travel likely by Bhai Dooj

DTC is in the final stage of empanelling banks to issue the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) and its local variants – the “Saheli” smart cards.

The Delhi government is set to roll out its long-promised pink cards — offering free bus travel for women — around Bhai Dooj (October 23), as chief minister Rekha Gupta’s office has directed the transport department to complete preparations ahead of the festival celebrated by women two days after Diwali, officials aware of the matter said on Friday.

The cards will enable seamless travel across buses, the Metro, and other public transport systems for women. (HT Archive)

Officials added that the backend integration enabling smart card-based ticketing has been completed for all Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses, while similar work for cluster buses under DIMTS is nearing completion. “Our backend integration for pink and other smart cards is done. The plan is to launch the card around Bhai Dooj. Depending on the CM’s directions, the rollout will happen in phases,” said a senior transport official.

DTC is in the final stage of empanelling banks to issue the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) and its local variants – the “Saheli” smart cards. These will enable seamless travel across buses, the Metro, and other public transport systems. Officials cited above said card-reading machines have already been installed in nearly all buses, with phased deployment expected to begin shortly.

The cards will be issued in three categories — pink cards for women and transgender residents of Delhi, blue cards for general commuters, and orange cards for monthly pass holders, including students and senior citizens. The blue card will function as a standard prepaid mobility card, while the orange card will digitise the existing paper-based monthly passes through validation on Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETMs).

Only residents of Delhi will be eligible for the pink card, which will be dispatched by banks to applicants providing valid Delhi address proof. Currently, DTC allows free bus rides to all women, regardless of domicile. The new rule, officials said, will bring accountability to the subsidy system and replace the paper-based slips currently issued by conductors.

The move aims to bring uniformity and digital convenience to Delhi’s 2.9 million daily bus passengers. Women and transgender commuters holding the pink “Saheli” card will be entitled to free travel on DTC and cluster buses, while still being able to top up and use the same card for paid travel on the Metro and other modes.

Between January and June 2025, DTC and cluster buses together carried an average of 1.43 million male and 1.48 million female passengers daily, excluding monthly pass holders. During 2024-25, the system issued 730,000 general passes and 350,000 concessional passes, data shows.

The new cards will be available in both Zero-KYC and Full-KYC variants across all categories. Zero-KYC cards can be obtained instantly from banks or authorised DTC centres using a mobile number and Aadhaar OTP and will function as prepaid travel cards. Full-KYC cards, featuring the user’s photograph and personal details, will be issued through partner banks and will double as debit cards usable for regular purchases, officials said.