Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday dismissed as “lies” and “propaganda” allegations that the ‘Pink Saheli Card’ for free bus travel for women residents could be used again just an hour after it was exploited.
She confirmed that the new mobility cards work fully efficiently, and provide free travel for women and transgender people residing in Delhi on buses.
“There is a rumor going around that if you tap your pink card once on the bus and then get off and get on another bus, the card doesn’t work. This is complete lies and political propaganda,” she said in a video message in a post on X.
Earlier this month, President Draupadi Murmu launched the Pink National Common Mobility Card (PNCM). Officials said more than one million cards have been distributed so far.
Gupta also said that passengers can use the pink card in “5-, 10- and 15-minute periods,” and women can travel as many times as they like for free.
Read also | President Murmu’s free pink mobility card, everything you need to know about the card
Under the scheme, the BJP government replaced the pink paper ticket system launched by the previous AAP government in 2019 through the Centre’s ‘One Nation, One Card’ initiative with the NCMC Pink Card, allowing free travel to Delhi residents only.
Prime Minister Gupta said that the card will also enable seamless and paid access to the Metro, Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) and other public transport services through a single smart card.
According to officials, the facility will be implemented on the same pattern and mechanism as the free travel scheme currently available for women passengers in Delhi buses.
The Delhi government has set up 50 authorized centers across the city to facilitate the issuance of Saheli Pink smart cards.
