New Delhi: The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has empanelled three banks for the rollout of “Saheli” smart cards for seamless bus travel in the capital — clearing the final procedural hurdle for the national common mobility card (NCMC) programme, officials said.
Officials familiar with the process said backend integration with transport systems is expected to be completed within a month, paving the way for a phased launch around February or March.
According to officials, card-reading machines have already been installed in all DTC and cluster buses, and pilot testing is underway. Once operational, the cards will allow commuters to use a single payment instrument across DTC and cluster buses, Delhi Metro, and other integrated transport services.
Transport minister Pankaj Singh, said: “The Saheli card is not just a payment instrument but a mobility solution across public transport systems. We are at the final stages of identifying the centres where the cards will be made available. The installation of card-reading machines is complete and a pilot is in progress.”
Singh added that the cards will likely be available at most DTC bus depots and citizen facilitation centres across districts.
The system, officials said, will now be integrated with the settlement framework of the National Payments Corporation of India, which will help reduce duplication, curb misuse of passes and enable smoother digital fare collection across services, including future integration with systems such as the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS).
Officials said the initiative, which has been in the making for nearly 10 months, is aimed at bringing uniformity and convenience to the capital’s nearly 29 lakh daily bus passengers. The cards will be issued in three categories. The Pink Saheli card will be meant for women and transgender residents of Delhi, the Blue card for general commuters of any gender, and the Orange card for monthly pass holders, including concessional categories such as students and senior citizens.
Under the plan, women and transgender commuters holding the Pink Saheli card will continue to be entitled to free travel on DTC and cluster buses, while the same card can be used as a prepaid card on other systems such as the Delhi Metro by topping up the balance. The Blue card will function as a standard prepaid mobility card, while the Orange card will replace paper-based monthly passes with a digital pass validated through electronic ticketing machines.
Ridership data for the six-month period from January to June 2025 shows that DTC and cluster buses together carry an average of 14.25 lakh male and 14.79 lakh female passengers daily, excluding monthly pass holders. During 2024–25, nearly 7.3 lakh general passes and 3.5 lakh concessional passes were issued, officials said.
All three card categories will be available in Zero-KYC and Full-KYC variants. Zero-KYC cards can be obtained instantly from banks or authorised DTC centres using a mobile number and Aadhaar-based OTP verification, and will function as prepaid travel cards. Full-KYC cards, personalised with photographs and user details, will be issued through the selected banks and will also function as debit cards for non-transport purchases.
Officials clarified that free bus travel through the Pink Saheli card will be restricted to residents of Delhi, with cards issued only against Delhi address proof. At present, DTC buses offer free travel to all women irrespective of address. The shift is intended to replace the existing token-based and conductor-issued free travel slips and introduce greater system accountability.