The rollout of the DTC Pink Card system for women’s free bus travel was disrupted by electronic ticketing machine (ETM) glitches, passenger confusion and inconsistent enforcement on its first day in Delhi, causing delays and leaving some women worried about being fined or missing their stops.
Women travelling on DTC buses had to wait for ETM machines to restart before their Pink Cards could be tapped and their journeys recorded. The process reportedly took between two and five minutes in some cases. For passengers approaching their next stop, the delay created a practical difficulty: they had to choose between waiting for the machine to work and risking missing their destination.
The issue was reported on a DTC bus travelling from ITO towards Shahdara. A working woman identified as Bushra Khan was travelling when the ETM stopped functioning. The report said the situation raised uncertainty over whether free travel would be recognised through possession of the card or only after the journey had been recorded on the machine. Passengers also feared a fine of Rs 200 if a Pink ticket was not generated during checking.
The first-day experience was not limited to technical failures. Several women reportedly did not know that carrying the Pink Card during every journey was necessary to claim free travel. Some passengers had obtained cards but had not brought them on the bus. On one route, women travelling from Mandi House to Anand Parbat were issued free passes after conductors explained the rule. On other buses, women without their cards were asked to pay the fare, resulting in different outcomes for passengers facing the same requirement.
The pressure on conductors increased because three processes had to operate together: tapping Pink Cards, resolving ETM failures and issuing alternative free passes where permitted. On bus number 623, a conductor reportedly said the ETM had stopped several times since morning. The journey of 27 women was recorded through Pink Card taps, while 17 women without cards were issued free passes. The combination of validation, ticketing and passenger explanations became more difficult during the evening rush, when working women and students increased the crowding.
The disruption also exposed the operational dependence of the scheme on a single point of validation. Passengers could show that they possessed a card, but the reported process did not provide them with a visible alternative when the ETM was temporarily unavailable. As a result, a technical problem became a question of travel time, fare liability and enforcement anxiety for commuters.
The Delhi Transport Corporation said that from October 5, only women carrying the Pink Card would be eligible for free travel on DTC buses; other passengers would have to buy tickets. The corporation also said it would assess the difficulties emerging during the initial implementation and make arrangements after reviewing them.
