New Delhi, March 31 Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday dismissed claims that the 'Saheli Pink Card' for free bus travel for women residents can only be used once an hour after being tapped, calling it "lies" and "propaganda".
She emphasized that the new mobility cards are functioning efficiently, providing free travel to women and transgender residents of Delhi on buses.
"There's a rumour circulating that if you tap your pink card once on a bus and then get off and board another bus, the card won't work. This is completely false and politically motivated," she said in a video message posted on X.
Earlier this month, the Pink National Common Mobility (PNCM) card was launched by President Droupadi Murmu. More than 1 lakh cards have been distributed so far, officials said.
Gupta also said that travelers can use the Pink Card in "gaps of 5, 10, and 15 minutes", and that women can travel as many times as they want for free.
Under the scheme, the BJP government has replaced the pink paper ticketing system launched by the previous AAP government in 2019 with the Centre's 'One Nation, One Card' initiative through the Pink NCMC card, allowing free travel only for Delhi residents.
Chief Minister Gupta had stated that the card will also enable seamless paid access to the Metro, Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), and other public transport services through a single smart card.
According to officials, the facility will be implemented on the same pattern and mechanism as the free travel scheme currently available for women passengers on Delhi buses.
The Delhi government has set up 50 authorized centers across the city to facilitate the issuance of the Saheli Pink smart cards.