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To improve public transport and stop misuse, the Delhi government has made an important change to its free bus travel scheme for women. The scheme, which started in 2019, will now be available only to women who are residents of Delhi. Along with this, the government is introducing a new 'lifetime' smart card to replace the current pink ticket system.
A shift from pink tickets to digital cards
The free bus travel program for women was first launched by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Bhai Dooj in 2019. Women were given pink single-journey passes to travel for free on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses. The government paid bus operators Rs 10 for each ticket issued under the scheme. The plan helped many women travel safely and easily for work and daily needs.
Now, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coming to power in Delhi after 26 years, new changes are being made to the scheme. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has raised concerns about corruption in the earlier ticketing system, calling it "pink corruption." She has promised a better, more transparent method using digital cards.
Only Delhi residents to benefit
The new smart card will be available only to women who live in Delhi. This decision has been taken to ensure that the benefit reaches genuine residents and is not misused. The registration process for the smart card is expected to begin soon. These cards will allow women to travel anytime on public buses without needing physical tickets.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta explained that this digital method will improve the system and stop irregularities in the ticketing process. She said this change is important to build a clean and fair public transport system for women in the city.
Budget boost for public transport
During the Budget Session on March 25, Chief Minister Gupta, who is also the finance minister, announced a big increase in the transport budget. For the financial year 2025-26, Rs 12,952 crore has been set aside for public transport in Delhi. This is much more than the Rs 9,337 crore given the previous year. It shows the government's strong focus on improving travel facilities.
By changing the system to a smart card and limiting the scheme to Delhi residents, the government aims to make public transport more reliable and fair. This move is expected to reduce misuse, improve travel for women, and create a better transport experience for everyone in Delhi.
