Delhi to Introduce Digital Travel Cards for Women’s Free Bus Rides, Replacing Pink Tickets

New Delhi: The Delhi government has announced the introduction of digital travel cards for women, replacing the existing pink tickets for free bus rides on state-run buses. The move, aimed at curbing corruption in ticketing, was announced by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday while presenting the 2025-26 Budget.

Digital Travel Cards to Ensure Transparency

The government has allocated Rs 12,952 crore for the transport sector to enhance public transportation and urban mobility. 

The new digital travel card will allow women to travel freely on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses anytime.

"The card will allow women to travel freely on public buses anytime, eliminating corruption linked to ticketing," Gupta said. 

She emphasized that the entire system will be digitized for better efficiency and transparency.

End of ‘Pink Ticket Corruption’

The pink ticket scheme was launched in 2019 on Bhai Dooj, enabling women to travel for free on DTC buses. Under this system, women received single-journey passes in the form of pink tickets, with the Delhi government compensating bus operators Rs 10 per ticket based on the number of tickets issued.

Participation in the scheme was voluntary, leading to an increase in women using public transport. However, concerns over corruption and mismanagement in ticket distribution led to the decision to introduce digital travel cards.

"We are committed to providing this service to women — corruption will not be tolerated. We will introduce digital travel cards that women can use as often as they need, ending the ‘pink corruption’ tied to physical tickets," Gupta stated.

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Delhi to Expand Public Transport Fleet

The Chief Minister also highlighted Delhi’s transition to electric buses, stating that the city currently operates 2,152 electric buses, and by 2025-26, over 5,000 new buses will be added to the fleet.

Additionally, the budget has allocated:

• Rs 1,000 crore (with central government support) for urban transport projects.
• Rs 2,929 crore for the expansion of the Delhi Metro.
• Gupta also announced plans to establish a welfare board for taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers to improve working conditions and support systems for these transport workers.

First BJP Budget in 26 Years

This Budget marks the first presented by a BJP-led government in Delhi in over 26 years, following the party’s victory over the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in last month’s Assembly elections.

With the implementation of digital travel cards, the Delhi government aims to modernize the public transport system, making it more accessible, efficient, and globally recognized.