Kamal Ghorui
The Delhi government will launch a Pink National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) on Monday, aimed at providing free bus travel to women in the national capital and enabling seamless access to multiple public transport systems through a single smart card.The scheme will be formally launched by President Droupadi Murmu at a programme titled “Sashakt Nari, Samriddh Delhi” at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, according to a statement.At the same event, the President will also formally launch a scheme to provide two free LPG cylinders annually to all ration card-holding families in Delhi on the occasions of Holi and Diwali.According to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the benefit will be provided through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).An amount equivalent to the prevailing price of one LPG cylinder will be credited to the Aadhaar-linked bank account of the head of the family in whose name the ration card has been issued, the statement stated.It stated that the scheme is expected to cover approximately 1.55 million ration card-holding families to ease the financial burden of cooking fuel expenses and enable families to celebrate festivals with dignity and comfort.Gupta said the Pink Card would allow women residents of Delhi to travel free of cost on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses, while also being usable for paid travel on the Metro, Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) and other public transport services.She said the initiative is designed 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 women residents, Blue for general commuters and Orange for monthly pass users, the statement stated.In the first phase, Pink and Blue cards will be rolled out, with the Orange card to follow later, it added.The Delhi Transport Corporation has authorised Hindon Mercantile Limited (MufinPay) and Airtel Payments Bank Limited to issue the cards, it stated.The cards will be integrated with the existing Automatic Fare Collection System across Delhi’s public transport network, it stated and added the Pink Card will be provided free of cost, with expenses borne by the Delhi government.As per the statement, around 50 centres, including District Magistrate and Sub-Divisional Magistrate offices and selected DTC locations, will be set up for card issuance. Minimal documentation will be required to ensure a simple and transparent process.Each Pink Card will be linked to the beneficiary’s mobile number and Aadhaar to verify age, gender and Delhi residency, it stated.The Pink Card will replace the existing paper-based pink tickets, offering touch-free travel, digital records of journeys and improved transparency in revenue accounting, it mentioned.It added that selected women beneficiaries will be handed over the Pink NCMC cards at the launch event, marking a key step towards a more integrated and women-friendly public transport system in the capital.
