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Aiming to offer a smooth transportation facility to women in Delhi, the Delhi government, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, is set to roll out free metro and bus travel for women and transgender citizens. To avail this facility, the government is going to issue a pink coloured “Saheli” smart card to women travelling to different locations within the city. The holder of this card will be entitled to enjoy a seamless and cost-free commute across the city’s public transport network.

 

According to reports, the card could be officially launched on the festival of Bhai Dooj on October 23, when thousands of women in Delhi are expected to use metro routes and DTC buses to visit their brothers and celebrate the traditional festival.

 

 

The pink ‘Saheli’ smart card will replace the pink paper tickets introduced in 2019 by the Delhi government. With pink paper tickets, women could travel free of cost on DTC buses during Bhai Dooj. The notable feature of the new card is that it is intended to be a permanent travel pass, offering lifelong validity for women and transgender commuters.

It is reported that the Chief Minister’s Office has directed the transport department to ensure that all necessary preparations are completed in advance for a smooth rollout. According to a senior transport officer, “Our backend integration for pink and other smart cards is done. The plan is to launch the card around Bhai Dooj. Depending on the CM’s directions, the rollout will happen in phases”.

 

The main objective of this initiative is to make public transport more accessible, affordable, and convenient, particularly for women and transgender individuals who travel on buses and metro trains for their daily travel.

 

While the move has been appreciated for its inclusivity, it has received mixed reactions online. The users of social media platforms like Reddit are saying that the initiative should apply to all women or be limited to those from economically weaker sections.

 

One user commented, “Why only for women of economically weaker families, why not for men in economically weaker families?” Another added, “Free buses for women from poorer households make sense, but why for all women? They should focus on making travel safer rather than free.” Many social media users also expressed their concerns about safety in public transport. “This!! I’d rather pay money to have safe transport,” wrote one commenter, while another noted, “They are giving them power to travel freely, but where is the safety?”

 

 

Despite the online debate, the Delhi government believes that the ‘Saheli’ card will mark a transformative shift in urban mobility. The necessary actions related to enabling smart card-based ticketing have already been completed to ensure the card functions smoothly across all Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses and metro systems.

It is believed that this step will empower women and transgender commuters to travel independently at their convenience. This will also encourage gender equality in mobility. With the pink ‘Saheli’ smart card, the government of Delhi wants to take a step ahead toward making public transportation more inclusive, safe, and accessible for all.