President Murmu to launch free pink mobility card for Delhi women

The Delhi government will launch the pink National Common Transport Card (NCMC) on Monday to provide free bus travel to women in the national capital and seamless access to multiple public transport systems through a single smart card.President Drupadi Murmu will officially launch the program at an event titled ‘Sashakt Nari, Samriddh Delhi’ at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, a statement said.At the same event, the President will also formally launch a scheme to provide two LPG cylinders free of charge every year during Holi and Diwali to all ration card-holding households in Delhi.Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the benefit will be provided through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).An amount equivalent to the prevailing price of a bottle of LPG will be deposited into the Aadhaar-linked bank account of the household head who issues the ration card, the statement said.It said the scheme is expected to cover around 1.55 million households holding ration cards to ease the financial burden of cooking fuel expenses and allow families to celebrate the festival with dignity and comfort.Gupta said the pink card will allow women residents of Delhi to travel on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses for free and can also be used to pay for metro, regional rapid transit system (RRTS) and other public transport services.She said the initiative aims to make public transport more accessible and digital while reducing daily travel costs for women and improving access to education, employment and healthcare.Under the scheme, three types of mobility cards will be issued: pink for eligible female residents, blue for general commuters and orange for monthly pass users, the statement said.In the first phase, pink and blue cards will be launched, followed by orange cards, it added.Delhi Transport Corporation has authorized Hindon Mercantile Limited (MufinPay) and Airtel Payments Bank Limited to issue these cards.The cards will be integrated with the existing automated fare collection system of Delhi’s public transport network, the company said, adding that the Pink Cards will be provided free of charge and the cost will be borne by the Delhi government.According to the statement, around 50 card issuance centers will be set up including the offices of district magistrates and sub-divisional magistrates and selected DTC locations. Minimal documentation is required to ensure the process is simple and transparent.Each pink card will be linked to the beneficiary’s mobile number and Aadhaar to verify age, gender and Delhi residence.The Pink Card will replace the existing paper Pink Ticket, providing contactless travel, digital journey recording and increased transparency in revenue accounting.It added that selected female beneficiaries will be issued pink NCMC cards at the launch event, marking a crucial step towards a more integrated and women-friendly public transport system in the capital.