Dispatches - Public Transport Forum

December 2025. The New Indian Express — Pink Saheli Smart Card for free bus travel to be rolled out in Delhi from January The Delhi government is preparing to roll out the project by starting the distribution of smart cards from the first week of January to eligible women residing in the national capital.
August 2025. The Hindu — Excluded by address: migrant women, transgender persons decry DTC’s Saheli Cards "The Saheli Smart Card replaces the pink ticket system, introduced during the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led government, where all women, regardless of their address, could travel for free. The cards, bearing the beneficiary’s name and photo, must be applied for online via the DTC website. They will be delivered by post after full KYC verification at the selected bank branch, which involves submitting documents such as Aadhaar card, PAN card, passport photos, and address proof... Yet for many daily commuters, women and transgender persons alike, the new rules feel like a step backward, turning a welfare scheme meant to empower into one that excludes."
December 2025. Times of India — Free bus services launched for school students in Trichy
March 2025. Times of India — Govt does not intend to stop free bus service for women in Punjab

IndiaSpend — Beyond Bus Fare Subsidy Schemes: Tracing Urban Women’s Access to Gender-Responsive Mobility December 2025 - Priya Verma: "Although bus fare subsidies eliminate the economic barrier, major gaps in public transport infrastructure and services continue to strain women’s access to the city"
The Quint — Why Giving Women Free Bus Rides Riles Up the Patriarchy October 2025 - Priya Ramani: "The success of Karnataka's Shakti scheme has turned the entrenched 'inside-outside' boundary for women on its head."
The Hindu — Free bus schemes help, but rural India pays more to travel August 2025
Deccan Chronicle — Karnataka Shakti Scheme Nears 500 Crore Free Bus Rides July 2025