Capital rolls out free travel smart card for women & trans persons
New Delhi: In a major push toward gender-inclusive mobility and educational reform, the Delhi government on Sunday rolled out the ‘Pink Saheli Smart Card’ for women and transgender persons, enabling them to travel free on all Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses. The government also announced recognition for private unaided schools operating in non-conforming areas, a long-pending issue that had deprived thousands of children of their right to education.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta unveiled the Pink Saheli Smart Card through an announcement on X, describing it as “a significant step towards making travel easier for women, promoting public transport, and honouring women’s strength.” The initiative will cover daughters, sisters, and mothers above the age of 12, allowing them to ride free across the city’s extensive bus network.
According to officials, the smart card will function under the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) framework. Each personalised card will feature the holder’s name and photograph and allow free travel exclusively on DTC and cluster buses. Users will also have the option to recharge or top-up the card for use on other NCMC-enabled public transport systems.
To obtain the card, applicants must be residents of Delhi aged 12 years or above and possess valid identification proof. Online registration for the Pink Saheli Smart Card has already begun on the official Delhi government portal.
Earlier, the Delhi Transport Corporation had issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) to empanel banks for issuing smart cards under the NCMC system, aimed at integrating various public transport modes through a single payment mechanism.
In another landmark decision, the Delhi government granted long-awaited recognition to private unaided schools functioning in non-conforming areas of the city. Education Minister Ashish Sood called the move “a historic and just reform” under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s leadership.
“For over a decade, this issue remained buried in files while children were denied their constitutional right to education. We have now ended this selective discrimination,” Sood said. Applications for recognition opened on November 1, with schools allowed to apply until November 30. The Directorate of Education will then assess the submissions and issue recognition to eligible institutions.
Together, the Pink Saheli Smart Card and the school recognition reform mark two significant steps by the Delhi government toward empowerment, equality, and inclusive governance.
