Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced a new digital travel card system for women to access free bus rides, during the 2025-26 Budget presentation on Tuesday. The budget allocated Rs 12,952 crore for the transport sector, reports PTI.
The current pink ticket system for free bus rides for women will be replaced by a digital travel card. This change aims to eliminate corruption associated with the existing ticketing process. The entire system will be digitised to improve efficiency.
Delhi’s BJP-led government presented its first budget in over two decades, allocating substantial funds for public transport. Funding will be allocated to the new travel card system, expansion of the electric bus fleet, and metro network development. An additional Rs 1,000 crore, provided by the central government, is designated for urban transport projects.
- The Delhi government plans to add over 5,000 electric buses to its fleet by the year 2025-26, increasing the current count of 2,152 electric buses.
- An allocation of Rs 2,929 crore has been made for the expansion of the Delhi Metro to enhance urban transportation.
- A welfare board will be established for taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers to improve their working conditions and provide necessary support systems.
The Delhi government’s outlay for the transport sector in the 2024-25 Budget was Rs 9,337 crore. The significant increase in the 2025-26 Budget reflects the government’s prioritisation of transport infrastructure development.
