New Delhi

The Delhi government is likely to extend the pink ticket facility for women passengers in DTC buses till August 15, senior officials said on Friday.

In an earlier direction issued by the transport department, 'Pink Saheli' smart card was supposed to be made mandatory from the month of August.

"We plan to extend the pink ticket facility till August 15, give some more time to women travellers to get the 'Pink Saheli' smart card," a senior officer said.

So far, around 17 lakh cards have been distributed across the city, and the government aims to increase these figures by the end of August, after which the card will be made mandatory.

Concerned over the slow adoption of the Pink Saheli card by women commuters, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) had also launched a special drive across its buses advising women to get the cards, officials added.

According to officials, it has been decided to gradually phase out the existing paper-based pink ticket and shift to a smart card-based system for availing the benefit of free bus travel.

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"All eligible women under the scheme may obtain the Pink Saheli smart card from the notified centres, counters as per the directions issued by the transport department and DTC from time to time," they said.

The Delhi government has set up 50 authorised centres across the city to facilitate the issuance of Pink Saheli smart cards, the order said.