The Delhi government on Monday launched the “Pink Saheli” card, aimed at providing women and transgender individuals free travel on DTC buses and easy access to multiple public transport systems through a single smart card.
Around 50 centres, including offices of district magistrates, sub-divisional magistrates, and select Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) locations, will be established to facilitate card issuance, according to a government statement.
“Each pink card will be linked to the beneficiary's mobile number and Aadhaar to verify age, gender and Delhi residency,” the statement said.
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Pink National Common Mobility Card along with three other women-centric welfare schemes of the Delhi government at a function in the city.
Under the scheme, the pink card will allow eligible women residents of Delhi to travel free of cost on DTC buses and can also be used for paid travel on other public transport services, including the Delhi Metro and the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS). “This enables commuters to use one card across systems,” the statement added.
Replacing the existing paper-based pink ticket, the card offers touch-free travel, digital journey records, and improved transparency in revenue accounting. The government said the initiative will make public transport more accessible, technology-driven, and safer, while reducing daily commuting expenses for women.
Three types of mobility cards will be issued under the programme — pink for eligible women residents, blue for general commuters, and orange for monthly-pass users. In the first phase, the pink and blue cards will be rolled out, while the orange card will be introduced later, according to the statement.
The DTC has authorised Hindon Mercantile Limited (MufinPay) and Airtel Payments Bank Limited to issue the cards. The statement noted that the cards will be integrated with the existing automatic fare collection system across Delhi’s public-transport network. “The pink card will be provided free of cost at government expense,” it said.
A dedicated Pink Saheli Card online portal has also been launched, containing a guide manual in Hindi for women.