09-07-2025
DTC's ‘Saheli Cards' will limit free bus travel to Delhi residents
The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) is set to roll out the 'Saheli Smart Card' to enable free bus travel for women and transgender persons in the Capital, replacing the existing 'pink ticket' system, officials said on Tuesday. The card, however, will only be available to Delhi residents, marking a major shift in eligibility criteria for the scheme. According to a tender floated by DTC, the new AFC infrastructure is part of Delhi's long-term vision to modernise and unify public transit access. (FILE)
Officials said the new regulation aims to ensure accountability in the system and plug revenue leakages.
Unlike the previous system, launched by the erstwhile Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government, where all women—regardless of address—were handed pink tickets by conductors, Saheli Cards will only be issued upon submission of Delhi-based address proof and Aadhaar details.
The cards, bearing the beneficiary's name and photo, must be applied for online via the DTC website and will be delivered by post.
'This is a digital reform with a targeted subsidy,' said a senior DTC official. 'Only verified Delhi residents will get Saheli Cards. The goal is to plug leakages and ensure the benefit reaches the intended recipients.'
Delhi transport minister Pankaj Singh echoed the sentiment: 'After we operationalised DEVI buses, we realised that it was generating good revenue, despite free rides for women. Of the 4.8 million-odd daily commuters of DTC, just about 20% are women and making their travel free does not impact revenue much. The smart cards have been kept for residents only to streamline the registration process and make it accountable. It is a Delhi service, for the people of Delhi.'
Under the previous scheme, pink tickets were issued for free in lieu of tickets when women boarded Delhi buses. Bus operators were later compensated by the government based on the number of pink tickets issued.
Singh said this made the system prone to abuse.
'We conducted raids after our government came to power and found that several fake pink tickets were generated while these women did not even travel on DTC buses, just so that the government exchequer could be depleted. We want to remove this unaccountability and bring in a proper system,' he said.
According to a tender floated by DTC, the new AFC infrastructure is part of Delhi's long-term vision to modernise and unify public transit access. The system will also integrate with apps developed in collaboration with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), allowing users to generate QR-code tickets, recharge their cards, and plan multimodal journeys across Delhi.
HT first reported on April 4 that new smart cards will replace pink tickets for free bus rides, and that they will restrict the scheme to women who are residents of the Capital, as address proof could be required during registration.
According to a tender floated by DTC, rollout is a part of a broader project to modernise fare collection through an Automated Fare Collection (AFC) system. The Saheli Card will be National Common Mobility Card (NCMC)-compliant and function on an open-loop platform, enabling usage across Delhi Metro, feeder buses, parking facilities, and even for small retail transactions.
NCMC system is already in use by the Delhi Metro, Noida Metro among other transit systems.
The wider rollout will be powered by over 12,000 onboard validators, QR-based ticketing, vending machines, and a clearinghouse to track transactions in real time. Cards will operate on a tap-in-tap-out model, removing the need for cash or manual ticketing, according to the tender document, which HT has accessed.
Importantly, the card will be Aadhaar-seeded and linked to Delhi's residential database, meaning women and transgender persons residing in neighbouring NCR cities such as Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad will no longer be eligible for free rides, although they can purchase the card as regular NCMC users.
In addition to the Saheli Card, DTC will introduce two other NCMC-enabled cards: The first will be the 'Zero KYC Card', which will be usable across transit networks, this card will not require any identity verification, allowing fast and easy issuance. The second will be the 'Full KYC Card', which will be issued by banks after complete KYC as per RBI and UIDAI norms, this card offers the same features but with added regulatory compliance.
'These additional cards are meant to enhance public access to seamless, cashless travel, while the Saheli Card will specifically serve the state's welfare scheme,' an official said.
'Besides the card-based system, the AFC setup will also support QR code-based ticketing via mobile apps. These apps, developed in coordination with DMRC, will allow users to generate journey-specific QR codes, check their Saheli or NCMC card balance, recharge the card, and even plan multimodal routes across Delhi,' the official added.
The policy shift comes amid a broader push to improve financial discipline and eliminate fraud in the scheme. In 2020-21, about 177 million pink tickets were issued. That number surged to 400 million in 2022-23. Former finance minister Atishi said in her budget speech last year that nearly 1.1 million women availed of free bus rides each day. Over five years, from 2019 to 2024, the AAP government facilitated 1.53 billion free rides for women.
Despite the impressive scale, officials say the old system lacked transparency. 'The Saheli Card ensures that free rides are logged, traceable, and tied to verified users,' a transport official said.
DTC currently operates 44 depots and maintains an active fleet of 3,266 buses—1,950 electric and 1,694 CNG.
