New Delhi has witnessed an extraordinary surge in women using its public bus network, with official data revealing a staggering over 2 crore free journeys every month in 2025. This highlights the immense popularity and success of the capital's flagship initiative for women's mobility.
From Pink Tickets to Smart Cards: A Scheme Evolves
The free bus travel scheme, first launched by the AAP government in October 2019, initially provided pink tickets to all women boarding buses in the city, irrespective of their residential status. The government reimburses the public transporters for these rides. Now, the scheme is set for a significant upgrade. The Delhi government is in advanced stages of rolling out Pink Saheli Smart Cards to replace the existing pink ticket system.
These new cards will be issued exclusively to Delhi residents. Applicants will need to provide valid address proof and identity documents, which can include Aadhaar. This move aims to streamline the process while continuing to offer free travel to women and transgender persons. The existing system remains open to all women in the city until the smart cards are fully implemented.
A Remarkable Post-Pandemic Recovery and Shift
The journey of women's bus ridership in Delhi tells a story of collapse and a powerful resurgence. The data for cluster buses shows that between March and August 2025, women utilized the free facility nearly 12.8 crore times.
The contrast with the pandemic years is stark. In 2020, the same six-month period saw just under 3 crore trips (2.8 crore) by women passengers, a direct result of lockdowns, work-from-home norms, and reduced transport services. A partial recovery was seen in 2021, with numbers rising to almost 5 crore.
However, the real turnaround occurred in 2023. Women's ridership skyrocketed to 13.3 crore trips between March and August, marking the highest figure in six years. This was not merely a rebound but indicated a structural shift in travel patterns. The full reopening of offices and educational institutions, coupled with rising fuel prices, made public transport a more attractive and dependable option.
While the number dipped slightly to 12.8 crore in 2024, it remained firmly above pre-pandemic levels, confirming a sustained change. The trend has continued robustly into 2025.
Monthly Patterns and Official Insights
Month-wise data reveals telling patterns. May 2020 hit an extreme low of just 9.7 lakh women passengers. Fast forward to May 2023 and May 2024, and the number had soared to over 2.2 crore each.
August figures show notable volatility, often influenced by seasonal factors. August 2023 recorded an unusually high 2.3 crore trips, the highest for that month between 2020 and 2025. Officials attribute such spikes to summer heat, monsoon rains, festival travel, and the return of migrant workers, all of which increase dependence on public buses.
Transport officials interpret this data as evidence of a lasting transformation. They note that women have not only returned to buses in large numbers but have stayed. This is credited to improved service reliability, better route coverage, and the undeniable appeal of free travel. The scheme has proven resilient, continuing seamlessly even through a change in the Delhi government's leadership.
The data for Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses for the same period was not immediately available, but the cluster bus numbers alone paint a compelling picture of a policy that has fundamentally altered urban mobility for women in the capital.
