Delhi women need to get a Pink Saheli Smart Card, as the paper pink ticket service for free travel will no longer be available from September 1. To continue getting the free rides, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has issued an order to get a valid Pink Saheli Smart Card. The pink tickets will remain valid only until midnight on August 31.
Delhi Pink Tickets To End From September 1
The DTC has announced that the paper-based pink ticket system will end from September 1. Women who want to travel free on Delhi government buses must now use the Pink Saheli Smart Card. The government had postponed the mandatory card requirement several times in the past.
It was initially scheduled to begin on August 1. The deadline was later extended to August 16. The pink ticket facility was then continued until August 31 in view of Raksha Bandhan. According to the latest order, showing the Pink Saheli Smart Card will now be mandatory for free travel starting September 1st.
Women From Outside Delhi To Pay Bus Fare
The biggest impact of the new system is likely to be on women travelling to Delhi from neighbouring states and other parts of the country. Under the earlier pink ticket system, women passengers were not required to show proof of Delhi residency. They could avail of free travel on Delhi government buses.
However, the new Pink Saheli Smart Card system limits the benefit to eligible women and transgender passengers living in Delhi. The card is linked to a mobile number and Aadhaar to verify the beneficiary’s identity and residence in Delhi. Starting September 1, women passengers travelling from outside Delhi will have to pay the prescribed bus fare.
The free pink ticket facility, which also benefited women visiting Delhi during occasions such as Raksha Bandhan, will end.
Millions of Pink Saheli Smart Cards Distributed
The Delhi government has already distributed millions of Pink Saheli Smart Cards across the national capital. Under the new system, free travel benefits will be available only to passengers carrying a valid card.
Officials said the DTC had also launched a special awareness drive after the adoption of the card remained slow among some women passengers. Women were advised during bus journeys to apply for the card and complete the process before the paper ticket system was phased out.
The Delhi government has set up 50 authorised centres across the city to make the Pink Saheli Smart Card application process easier. The larger plan is to gradually replace paper-based pink tickets with a smart card system.
Sudeep Singh Rawat is a Copy Editor at NewsX Digital with over five years of experience in digital journalism. He covers national and international news, with a focus on politics, crime, technology, public affairs, and trending topics. Before joining NewsX Digital, he worked with Business Standard, The Sunday Guardian, and other digital media organisations. His reporting focuses on breaking news, enterprise stories, and explainers that inform readers through accurate, balanced, and context-driven journalism.
