In a significant move towards inclusive urban governance, the Delhi government has approved a proposal to include transgender passengers in its free bus travel scheme, with the decision taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
The decision applies to all public buses in the capital, covering services operated by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) as well as cluster buses run by the Transport Department. The scheme, which runs through the newly launched Pink Saheli Smart Card, replaces the traditional paper-based pink tickets with a contactless smart card system under the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) platform.
Over one lakh Saheli Pink cards have already been issued since the scheme’s launch earlier this month, with the government setting up 50 authorised centres across the city to facilitate card issuance. The latest Cabinet decision extends this benefit explicitly to transgender residents of Delhi, marking a meaningful step towards equitable access to public services for one of the country’s most marginalised communities.
A Smart Card, A Lifeline
President Droupadi Murmu, in the presence of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, inaugurated the Saheli Pink National Common Mobility Card on 2 March 2026. All women and transgender persons holding Aadhaar cards in Delhi are eligible for the Saheli Pink cards, according to a government official. Using the card, passengers can also avail a 10 per cent discount on the Delhi Metro and Rapid Rail. While bus travel is free for eligible beneficiaries, the same card can be recharged and used for paid travel on the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), enabling a single smart card for multiple transport modes.
Reacting to the Cabinet decision, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta described the initiative as a reflection of her government’s commitment to social inclusion, stating that the move aims to ensure that every section of society can access public services with dignity and without financial barriers. Gupta also reassured women commuters that the existing pink ticket scheme will continue for the next three months, urging them not to rush to obtain the new cards during the transition period.
A Seven-Year Journey
Since 2019, women residents of Delhi have been able to travel free of cost on DTC and cluster buses run by the Transport Department. The new smart card eliminates the need for paper tickets while offering enhanced security features. The existing pink ticket system, while widely used, has faced challenges such as data accuracy issues and paper wastage problems.
The new NCMC-based system is designed to resolve by introducing a ‘tap and go’ facility similar to a metro card, speeding up boarding and crowd management on buses. Each card is linked to the beneficiary’s mobile number and Aadhaar to verify age, gender and Delhi residency and only one card is issued per Aadhaar.
Verification is conducted on the spot, and the card is issued over the counter after successful authentication. Applications are accepted both online and offline for eligible Delhi residents aged five and above, with cards distributed daily from 9 AM to 5 PM at the 50 authorised centres. The decision to formally include transgender residents in this framework is being viewed by inclusion advocates as both a practical and symbolic victory recognising a community long denied equal access to basic civic amenities.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Public transport, at its core, is a democratic promise the idea that every person, regardless of identity, income, or circumstance, deserves the freedom to move through their city with dignity. For transgender persons in India, who continue to face systemic discrimination in employment, housing and healthcare, access to free and safe commuting is not a perk it is a pathway to participation in public life. The Delhi government’s decision to extend the Pink Saheli Smart Card scheme to transgender residents is, therefore, more than a policy update. It is an acknowledgement that inclusive governance must go beyond intent and show up in everyday, tangible ways. That said, the real test of this initiative lies ahead.
एक वक्त पर ट्रांसजेंडर को अपमान का सामना करता पड़ता था
— Hardik Bhavsar (@Bitt2DA) March 16, 2026
लेकिन नए भारत में उन्हें सम्मान और सुविधा मिल रही
जिसकी मिशाल है दिल्ली की रेखा गुप्ता सरकार
जिन्होंने ट्रांस जेंडर के लिए मुफ्त बस यात्रा की मंजूरी दी
ये सिर्फ सफर नहीं, बदलती दिल्ली की शानदार झलक है pic.twitter.com/RGqxPRVLDa
