Delhi is moving its subsidised bus travel system for eligible women and transgender passengers from paper tickets to a digital identity-based model. The shift to the Pink Saheli Smart Card changes how free journeys are verified on DTC and cluster buses, while giving the transport system a clearer record of ridership and subsidy use. The transition also raises questions around access for passengers who face digital or documentation barriers.
The Pink Saheli Card operates on the National Common Mobility Card framework. Under the notified transition, the earlier paper-based pink ticket system was scheduled to end on July 31, with the smart card becoming necessary for free travel from August 1. Passengers without a valid card would have to buy a regular ticket. For Delhi’s public transport network, the larger change is not simply the replacement of paper with plastic. Each card creates a digital travel record when tapped on the electronic ticketing machine. That data can potentially help authorities understand where subsidised journeys are concentrated and how bus services should be planned. For a city dealing with congestion, air pollution and uneven last-mile connectivity, better passenger data can support more efficient allocation of public transport capacity.
The system is also designed to restrict the free-travel benefit to eligible Delhi residents. DTC’s documentation specifies the Saheli card for women and transgender residents aged 12 years and above, with Delhi-based identity and verification requirements. The card can be issued in zero-KYC and full-KYC formats, with the latter offering wider payment functionality. That distinction matters for inclusion. Women who depend on buses for work, education, healthcare and household travel stand to gain from a system that removes the need for a separate paper ticket on every journey. However, passengers without Aadhaar-linked mobile access, suitable documentation or easy access to issuance centres may face additional friction during the transition.
The card’s NCMC functionality also creates a broader mobility opportunity. Full-KYC versions can be topped up for paid journeys, while the wider system is intended to support interoperability across public transport. This could eventually make movement between buses, metro and regional rail services more seamless, although the free-travel benefit remains specific to the eligible bus scheme. The policy’s success will therefore depend less on the card itself and more on implementation. Adequate issuance centres, clear communication, reliable ticketing equipment and support for digitally excluded passengers will determine whether the transition improves access or creates a new barrier. For Delhi, the priority is ensuring that digitalisation strengthens affordable, low-carbon public transport rather than making access harder for the people who rely on it most.
