New Delhi:
Officials said nearly 11 lakh Pink Saheli Smart Cards have been distributed so far and the government has set a target of increasing the number to 13 lakh by the end of July. Authorities are also considering making the card mandatory for availing free bus travel after the summer season.
Under the drive, which began on Monday, bus conductors have been instructed to encourage women passengers to use the smart cards and guide those without cards on how to obtain them.
“Conductors are asking women travellers to shift to the Pink Smart Card system. Those who do not have the card are being advised to apply for one,” a senior Transport Department official said.
Despite the distribution of around 11 lakh cards, officials said only 10-15 per cent of women commuters currently use them, while the majority continue to rely on pink paper slips issued inside buses.
The government is now planning to tighten enforcement in the coming months to increase adoption and improve the efficiency of the free travel scheme.
Launched by President Droupadi Murmu in March, the Pink Saheli Smart Card enables women and transgender residents of Delhi to travel free of cost on DTC and cluster buses. The initiative replaced the pink paper ticket system and aims to provide contactless travel while maintaining digital records of journeys and improving transparency in revenue accounting.
The card is part of the Centre’s ‘One Nation, One Card’ initiative and can also be used for paid travel on other public transport networks, including the Delhi Metro and the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS).
Each card is linked to the beneficiary’s Aadhaar and mobile number to verify age, gender and Delhi residency.
Officials said wider adoption of the cards will help streamline operations, reduce dependence on paper tickets and generate more accurate data on women’s travel patterns, aiding transport planning and policy decisions.