The Delhi government has made the Pink Saheli Smart Card mandatory for women residents seeking free travel on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses, replacing the earlier paper-based pink tickets as the required proof for the concession.
The change has been notified under the Delhi Transport Corporation (Free and Concessional Passes) (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2026, according to the Transport Department notification cited by Millennium Post. The requirement applies to both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned DTC and cluster buses operating in the city.
“Female passengers who are residents of Delhi can travel free in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses, both AC and non-AC, only with the use of Pink Saheli Smart Card (NCMC),” the notification said. It added that eligible passengers would continue to have the option of purchasing a ticket at the applicable fare for a journey.
The provision also covers transgender persons who are residents of Delhi. Passengers who are not eligible for the free travel facility can use DTC and cluster buses by purchasing tickets at the applicable fare, the notification stated.
The Pink Saheli Smart Card is based on the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) platform. It was launched in March this year and replaced the paper-based pink tickets that had previously been issued under the government’s free bus travel scheme for women. The Transport Department had earlier directed that the smart card would become mandatory for availing the facility from September 30.
The transition makes the card the operational link between passenger eligibility and fare-free travel. Women who have not yet registered will continue to have access to the registration and card issuance process, officials said. This allows the department to move to the card-based system while keeping registration open for residents who have not completed the process.
According to officials, around 19 lakh women have used the smart-card facility since its launch earlier this year. The figure indicates the scale of the transport concession and the number of passengers who have already shifted from the earlier paper-ticket system to the NCMC-based arrangement.
The government will undertake an awareness campaign about the requirement through announcements at bus depots and inside buses, as well as through social media, print media and other communication channels. These announcements are intended to inform passengers about the mandatory card requirement and the continuing registration and issuance process.
The notification does not remove the option of paid travel. Women who are not eligible for the free facility, as well as other passengers, can continue to travel on DTC and cluster buses by buying tickets at the applicable fare. The new requirement specifically governs access to free travel for eligible Delhi residents.
The Transport Department’s next steps are to continue card registration and issuance while communicating the revised procedure across the DTC and cluster bus network.