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Pink slips were still expected to be accepted temporarily on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and Cluster buses after the October 1, 2026, transition deadline, according to Hindustan Times on October 3. The proposed change would make free bus travel dependent on a Pink Saheli smart card and Delhi residency, but the report said the amendment was awaiting Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu’s approval. Its forecast of a Gazette notification the following week was not confirmation that one was issued.
Are pink slips still accepted on Delhi buses?
As of the October 3 report, women were likely to continue using paper-based pink slips for free travel on DTC and Cluster buses while approval for the scheme amendment was pending. The latest reported deadline, October 1, had passed, but that did not by itself put the proposed card requirement into effect.
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The report described several earlier transition dates: August 1, August 31, September 17, September 30, and October 1. News On AIR had reported on August 16 that paper tickets would continue through August 31, allowing more time for women to obtain cards. The successive extensions show why an announced deadline should not be treated as proof that paper slips have stopped being accepted.
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Hindustan Times reported that authorised card centres were expected to operate through October and that applications could continue after paper tickets were discontinued. Those were reported arrangements, not a guarantee of current opening hours or service. Check with an authorised centre or official DTC channel before making a trip.
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What would change under the proposed Pink Saheli rule?
The main proposed change is eligibility: the existing paper-slip practice had allowed women travelling on DTC buses to use the free-travel benefit regardless of residence, while the amended scheme would link it to a Pink Saheli card and Delhi residency. The residency restriction remains proposed until an official approval and Gazette notification are verified.
| Issue | Paper pink slip arrangement described in the October 3 report | Pink Saheli arrangement described in DTC’s specification |
|---|---|---|
| Who qualifies | The report said women using the free-travel benefit on DTC buses could do so regardless of residence. | Bona fide female and transgender residents of Delhi aged 12 or older, as specified in the DTC tender; this specification does not itself establish that every condition is already in force. |
| How to use the free bus benefit | Paper-based pink slip. | Hold and tap the smart card on an electronic ticketing machine, according to the October 3 report. |
| Covered bus services | DTC and Cluster buses, as described in the reports. | Free travel on DTC and Cluster buses, according to the DTC specification. |
| Other public transport | Not stated in the cited description of the paper-slip arrangement. | Metro and other public-transport use requires a paid top-up; those rides are not part of the free bus benefit. |
| Issuance and verification | Not stated in the cited description of the paper-slip arrangement. | The tender describes zero-KYC and full-KYC routes, with issuance through banks, DTC, or other authorised centres. |
The tender is a scheme specification, not proof that all planned features, eligibility checks, or distribution arrangements have been implemented. The October 3 report also said the card could serve as a common mobility card for other public transport after recharge.
What the Pink Saheli card is designed to do
DTC’s Corrigendum-2 to EOI No. EOI/ITD/25/2 describes Pink Saheli as a National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) for eligible female and transgender Delhi residents aged 12 and above. The specified free benefit is for DTC and Cluster buses. A cardholder wishing to use the card for Metro or other public transport must add paid value; having the card does not make those journeys free.
The October 3 report says riders would tap the card on the bus’s electronic ticketing machine. DTC’s specification describes two issuance routes—zero-KYC and full-KYC—and distribution through banks, DTC, or other authorised centres. These details explain the intended mechanism, but the pending amendment means they should not be read as proof that the new rule was already mandatory on October 3.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How many cards had been issued?
The figures reported during the rollout are dated snapshots, not a verified October 3 count. News On AIR reported approximately 18 lakh cards issued and 50 authorised centres on August 16, 2026, when the paper-ticket deadline had been extended to August 31. Hindustan Times later cited more than 18.5 lakh cards issued by September. Neither figure should be presented as the current total without a newer confirmation.
What the earlier free-travel scheme achieved
Delhi’s fare-free bus program predates the proposed card transition. WRI India’s March 2025 working paper describes the pre-transition scheme as covering women on AC and non-AC DTC and Cluster buses within Delhi, with operators reimbursed ₹10 per pink ticket under the arrangements it examined.
The paper cites Delhi Planning Department outcome-budget data showing that women accounted for 20% of daily bus ridership in FY 2019–20 and 48% in FY 2022–23. Its table reports women’s daily ridership rising from 0.70 million to 1.72 million over those fiscal years. These historical figures describe the earlier scheme period, not the effect of switching to Pink Saheli cards.
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