New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta took a DTC bus on Saturday to interact with commuters and inspect the implementation of the Saheli Pink Smart Card initiative.Launched by President Droupadi Murmu on Monday, the smart card will allow women and transgender residents of the national capital to travel in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses for free.The card, which has replaced pink paper tickets, is expected to enable contactless travel, maintain digital journey records and increase transparency in revenue accounting.Gupta said, “This is an extremely convenient arrangement for mothers, sisters and daughters of Delhi. The card is produced for free at various centers in the city. Just register using your Aadhaar number and mobile number to avail free rides on DTC buses.”“I appeal to all women to make Saheli Pink National Mobility Card (NCMC) cards and make full use of this facility,” she said.During the journey, the chief minister bought himself a smart card and interacted with women traveling in the bus.The smart card scheme aims to provide seamless access to multiple public transport systems through a single card under the ‘One Nation, One Card’ scheme.While eligible people can travel on DTC and cluster buses free of charge, the card can also be used to travel on other public transport services such as the Delhi Metro and Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) for a fee.Each card is linked to the beneficiary’s Aadhaar and mobile number to verify age, gender and Delhi residence. PTI
