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Delhi Makes Pink Saheli Smart Card Mandatory for Women's Free Bus Travel
The Delhi government has notified that women residents can travel free on DTC and cluster buses only with the Pink Saheli Smart Card; paper pink tickets are retired and mandatory tapping began Oct. 1.
Why it matters
Free bus travel is a major welfare benefit for Delhi's women, and the shift to smart cards brings it fully into electronic management. Under the DTC (Free and Concessional Passes) (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2026, women residents of Delhi can ride free on DTC and cluster buses — AC and non-AC — only via the Pink Saheli Smart Card. Women without the card, or not eligible, must buy tickets at the applicable fare. The provisions also cover transgender persons who are Delhi residents.
Full report
The paper pink-ticket era is over: the Delhi government had extended paper tickets to Sept. 30, with mandatory tapping in force from Oct. 1. The Pink Saheli card, launched in March 2026 on the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) standard, is issued free of cost. Around 1.9 million women have obtained it so far, with 50 authorised centres across the city; registration remains open for those who haven't signed up.
Officials said awareness campaigns will run through depot and in-bus announcements, social media and print media to make sure all eligible women switch to the smart card.
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