Smart card required for females to get free bus service | Here's how to get it

The West Bengal government has announced that women will be required to use a government-issued smart card to avail free travel on state-run buses from June 1. The transport department has issued detailed guidelines regarding eligibility, required documents and the application process for the scheme, which will cover buses operated by West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC), North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) and South Bengal State Transport Corporation (SBSTC).

According to the notification, all women residing in West Bengal will be eligible for the free bus service. The benefit will apply not only to city routes but also to long-distance government bus services across the state. To use the scheme permanently, beneficiaries must obtain a digital smart card containing their name and photograph. The card must be shown while boarding government buses.

Women passengers will have to apply for the smart card at their local BDO or SDO office by submitting identity documents and a recent colour passport-size photograph. The transport department stated that QR code-enabled smart cards, also referred to as “Pink Cards”, will gradually be introduced to simplify verification and ticket issuance during travel.

The government has specified that any one of several identity documents will be accepted during the application process. These include Aadhaar card, voter ID card, job card, Ayushman Bharat Health Card, driving licence, PAN card, passport, pension document with photograph and official identity cards issued by schools, colleges or universities. Other government-issued identity documents along with photographs may also be accepted for verification.

Since the scheme is scheduled to start before the smart cards are fully distributed, the transport department has introduced a temporary arrangement for women passengers. Conductors will verify government-issued identity proof during travel and issue zero-value tickets through ticket machines. Officials also discussed increasing the number of operational government buses across Kolkata and other parts of the state, along with repairing buses currently lying unused in depots.