New Delhi: Women travelling for free on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses in the city will have to use Pink Saheli smart card from Aug 1, with Delhi govt’s transport department phasing out the existing paper-based pink ticket system on July 31.Those eligible for the scheme will have to tap the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC)-based card on handheld electronic ticketing machines or validators installed inside buses. A digital zero-fare ticket will be generated. Those without the card will have to buy a regular ticket.Transport minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said it marks the scheme’s complete shift to the digital system. “More than 15 lakh smart cards have so far been issued,” he said.The scheme will continue only for women living in Delhi, with one needing to show a city address to get the card issued in her name, said a senior official. One must furnish a Delhi Aadhaar card and an Aadhaar-linked mobile number while registering for the card. Those who are 12 years and above are eligible to apply.More than 10 lakh women travel daily on DTC and cluster buses, with many taking multiple trips each day. Despite the launch of Pink Saheli card earlier this year, a large section of commuters has continued using paper tickets. As a result, both systems have been operating simultaneously.“Most commuters still depend on pink tickets,” a senior transport department official said, adding, “Govt wants commuters to gradually make a digital shift before the compulsory transition comes into effect from Aug 1.”Officials said the move will enable authorities to monitor women ridership in real time across the capital and maintain accurate data. The digital system is also expected to help the transport department identify travel patterns, assess route-wise demands and improve deployment of buses. The step will eliminate the misuse of pink tickets and improve transparency in subsidy disbursal.Women who have not yet obtained the card can apply online through the transport department’s website or mobile app by uploading their Aadhaar cards, proof of age and photographs. The smart card can also be obtained offline by submitting these documents at designated bus depots and transport department counters. Depot managers have been instructed to train conductors on operating the new electronic ticketing system before the transition takes place, officials said.Delhi govt has allocated Rs 450 crore in its 2026-27 budget for the continuation of the free scheme. The fund will support operational subsidies and the technological integration of the NCMC-based system.
