4 min readNew DelhiMar 13, 2026 02:49 PM IST
First published on: Mar 13, 2026 at 02:49 PM IST
The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) Friday clarified that women residents can continue to travel free in its buses using the existing pink paper ticket system until they obtain the new Pink Saheli Smart Card.
It also urged women not to panic or rush to collect the cards, assuring that the distribution process will continue gradually across the city.
“The Government of NCT of Delhi, through DTC, has launched the Pink Saheli Smart Card (National Common Mobility Card) for women residents of Delhi to enable free travel in DTC buses in a more transparent and digital manner. This initiative is part of the national vision of ‘One Nation, One Card’, promoting seamless and interoperable mobility across public transport systems,” officials said.
Launched on March 2 by President Droupadi Murmu, these cards restrict free travel in DTC and cluster buses to women and transgender residents of the Capital. This is unlike the system launched by the previous AAP government in 2019, where all women — even those who were not residents of Delhi — could travel for free on buses run by DTC and cluster bus services.
Officials said eligible women residents of Delhi can obtain the Pink Saheli Smart Card free of cost from designated counters established by DTC across the city. The government has set up 50 such counters at bus depots, DM and SDM offices.
“Women commuters are advised not to worry or rush, as the card distribution will continue smoothly over time and all eligible beneficiaries will be able to obtain their cards conveniently,” said officials.
“It is important to note that women can continue to travel in DTC buses using the existing Pink Paper Ticket system as per the current practice, even if they do not yet possess the Pink Saheli Smart Card,” it added.
“After a reasonable period, once it is assessed that most eligible women have received the Pink Saheli Smart Cards, the Delhi government will gradually replace the existing Pink Paper Ticket system with the Smart Card-based system to ensure greater transparency, efficiency, and convenience in public transport,” said the DTC in a statement.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had said the card will provide free travel to women residents of Delhi on DTC buses. It will also enable seamless paid access to the Metro, Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) and other public transport services through a single smart card.
Through this initiative the government aims to reduce daily travel costs and expand access to education, employment, healthcare and social opportunities.
Three types of cards
Under this initiative, three types of NCMC cards are set to be issued in a phased manner. The Pink Card will be for eligible women residents of Delhi, the Blue Card for general commuters, and the Orange Card for monthly pass users.
In the initial phase, the Pink and Blue Cards were launched.
Each Pink Card will be linked to the beneficiary’s mobile number and Aadhaar card. Authentication through Aadhaar will verify age (above 5 years), gender (female), and Delhi residency (based on Delhi PIN code), ensuring eligibility and preventing duplication.
The Pink Card will function as a touch-free and secure smart card. It will maintain an accurate digital record of every journey, reduce cash transactions, and ensure greater transparency in revenue accounting, said officials.
Travel data will assist in route planning, optimising bus deployment, and informed decision-making.
Launched on March 2, these cards restrict free travel in DTC and cluster buses to women and transgender residents of the Capital. 
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