Pink Tickets Out, Aadhaar-Linked Pass For Delhi Women's Free Bus Rides

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced that the current system of pink tickets for free bus rides on Delhi Transport Corporation and cluster buses will soon be replaced with a new Aadhaar-linked Pink Pass, which will allow only women and transgender people living in Delhi to use the benefit.

"Very soon, we will replace the pink ticket with a Pink Pass for free bus travel for women in Delhi," said Ms Gupta. "This benefit will be limited to Delhi residents only."

To apply for the pass, eligible applicants will need to submit Aadhaar, PAN, proof of residence, a passport-size photograph, and complete KYC documentation. 

Transport Minister Pankaj Singh confirmed that preparations for the rollout are in progress.

"We are finalising the digital and administrative framework for the Pink Pass," he said, underscoring that Aadhaar will serve as the primary ID for eligibility verification.

The pink ticket scheme, introduced in 2019, has been widely used, with lakhs of women benefiting from free travel daily. 

Officials, however, say the open-access nature of the system led to misuse, with non-residents also availing the benefit and allegations of corruption surfacing in recent months. 

These include inflated ticket counts, discrepancies in ridership data, and possible revenue leakages, raising questions about transparency and the actual reach of the scheme.

While no official date has been set for the transition, authorities indicate that the Pink Pass system will be rolled out in phases over the coming months.

Further details on the application process and issuance centres are expected to be announced soon. In the meantime, pink tickets will continue to remain valid.