Delhi's Pink Pass Policy: Free Bus Ride Now Only for Delhi Residents, Migrant Women Left Struggling

The Delhi government's recent decision to restrict free bus travel to only those women whose Aadhaar card shows a Delhi address is drawing criticism and concern. Under the new policy, the existing pink ticket scheme will be replaced with a pink pass, available only to local residents after submitting Aadhaar, PAN, photo, and other KYC documents.

For thousands of women like Shahnaz, a domestic help living in Jamia Nagar, this change is devastating. A native of Bihar, she travels over 10 km to Safdarjung Hospital to get medicine for her child, who lost a leg in an accident. Until now, her free bus rides saved her ₹20–₹40 per day—money that helped stretch her tight monthly income of ₹10,000. Without a Delhi address on her Aadhaar, she now faces the possibility of walking to the hospital to save money.

Who Will No Longer Benefit?

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Transport Minister Pankaj Singh have confirmed that the pink pass will be available only to women and transgender persons residing in Delhi. Those living in neighboring areas like Noida, Ghaziabad, or Haryana—even if working or studying in Delhi—will no longer be eligible.

This move is expected to disproportionately impact:

• Students from out of state living in rented rooms in Delhi for education.

• Working women, such as domestic workers, security guards, teachers, and sales staff, many of whom migrate from states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

• Patients and caregivers who rely on Delhi hospitals and frequently travel from underprivileged backgrounds.

A 2011 Census report already confirmed that Delhi hosts one of the highest populations of migrants in India. Districts like South Delhi, South-West Delhi, and New Delhi have over 40% non-local populations. A 2010 ASSOCHAM survey further revealed that nearly 70% of migrant women in Delhi come from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The Pink Ticket Scheme: A Brief Background

The pink ticket

scheme was launched in 2019 by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to promote women’s safety and financial inclusion by offering free rides on DTC and cluster buses. It proved transformative:

• By 2023, the number of female bus riders rose from 33% to 42%.

• Over 100 crore pink tickets were issued by 2024.

• Every day, nearly 11 lakh women used this free travel benefit.

• 22 crore rides were taken in DTC buses and 23.41 crore in cluster buses in 2022–23 alone.

The scheme encouraged thousands of women to commute for work, education, and healthcare without worrying about daily fares of ₹20–₹30, which could otherwise snowball into over ₹1,500 per month.

The Reason Behind the Policy Shift

The new BJP-led government alleges that the open-access pink ticket scheme was prone to large-scale misuse and corruption. In her budget speech, CM Rekha Gupta referred to it as “Pink Corruption,” citing inflated billing and passenger data manipulation.

She stated, “Women traveled for ₹100, but the bill showed ₹400. The tickets were being misused. That is why we are ending the pink ticket system and replacing it with smart pink passes to ensure transparency.”

The government also argued that the benefit should be reserved only for Delhi’s legal residents and not extended to illegal immigrants, referring specifically to “Rohingyas and Bangladeshis” as a target of the exclusion policy.

The Real Impact: Costly Travel for Non-Delhi Women

The transition from pink ticket to pink pass may reduce misuse, but it also leaves behind a large, vulnerable group—migrant women who form the backbone of Delhi’s informal economy and education system. Whether they are students chasing dreams, workers supporting families back home, or patients battling illnesses, their access to affordable public transport now hangs in the balance.