Saheli smart cards: free rides for Delhi residents, roadblocks for migrant workers, outstation students
Delhi's new 'Pink Saheli' smart card system for free bus travel is causing bureaucratic hurdles for migrant workers and outstation students who lack local Aadhaar addresses. While the government aims to modernize transit, the strict residency requirements are excluding vulnerable populations from accessing the service.
Why it matters
It illustrates the challenges of digital governance and how residency-linked benefits can inadvertently marginalize mobile populations.
For thousands of women who navigate the chaotic capital every morning on a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus or cluster buses, the transition to the mandatory Pink Saheli smart card from September presents two very different sides. While the Aadhaar-linked card will offer a streamlined, modern experience for local residents, the new digital push creates a bureaucratic wall for thousands of migrant workers and outstation students as they now face the challenge of establishing a local domicile to travel free.
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