New Delhi: The Delhi government will issue a lifetime smart card for free bus travel exclusively for women residing in the city, replacing the existing pink ticket system, officials said on Thursday. The transport department will soon begin the registration process for eligible women, marking a shift to a digitised system aimed at curbing alleged corruption in the current setup. As per eligibility criteria, the card will only be issued to women residing in Delhi, enabling them to travel without any fare restrictions.
The decision comes after Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, during the Budget Session of the Assembly, accused the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of irregularities in the pink ticket scheme. "We are committed to providing this service to women… Corruption will not be tolerated. We will introduce digital travel cards for women, putting an end to the 'pink corruption' tied to physical tickets," Gupta said. She emphasised that the new smart card will allow women to travel anytime on public buses without restrictions, ensuring greater accessibility and efficiency. The initiative is part of a broader effort to modernise Delhi's public transport system, making it more reliable and globally recognised, she added.
The pink ticket scheme, launched by the AAP government in 2019 on Bhai Dooj, allows women to travel free of cost on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses. Under this system, the government reimburses bus operators Rs 10 per ticket issued. With the BJP forming the government in Delhi after a landslide victory in the February 5 Assembly polls, officials said work on the smart card initiative is expected to begin within the next two to three weeks.
During the Budget presentation on March 25, Gupta, who also holds the finance portfolio, allocated Rs 12,952 crore for the development of the public transport system, a significant increase from last year’s Rs 9,337 crore allotment.
(With PTI inputs)
