3 min readKolkataMay 22, 2026 04:42 PM IST
The West Bengal state transport department Thursday issued a notification detailing the procedure for women to avail free rides on state-run buses from June 1.
“Whereas in order to enhance womens’ empowerment and to improve their access to transport facility, Government of West Bengal has decided to implement a scheme for free transportation for women of the state in all state run buses of West Bengal; and Whereas it is also decided that free transportation shall be provided in all state run buses to all women of West Bengal; and Whereas it is also decided that this facility will be available in all short route and long route state run buses, for public service in various categories of buses,” the notification reads.
The notification highlighted that each beneficiary woman will get ‘one smart card’ with a QR code. “It is also decided that one Smart Card (digital with QR code) with photo and name of the beneficiary will be issued to each woman beneficiary on application, to be submitted to the BDO/SDO having jurisdiction,” the notification further reads.
The transport department has mentioned that beneficiaries can apply for the smart cards if they have any one of the following documents: (I) Aadhaar Card, (II) Elector’s Photo Identity Card (EPIC), (III) VB-G RAMG Job Card (Grameen Rozgar Guarantee Card), (IV) Ayushman Bharat Health Card, (V) Driving License, (VI) PAN Card, (VII) Indian Passport, (VIII) Pension document with photograph, (IX) Service Identity Cards with photograph issued to employees by Central/State government/PSUs/Public Limited Companies, (X) Official identity card issued by schools/colleges/universities and (XI) any other ID card issued by Government of West Bengal.
However, till the time the smart cards are generated, women beneficiaries can use any of the above-mentioned cards to avail a ‘zero value ticket/thermal paper ticket’ from the on-duty bus conductor.
While welfare schemes for women are not new in Bengal, the free bus travel is. In 2019, the AAP government in Delhi introduced the Pink ticket scheme, allowing women to travel free in Delhi Transport Corporation and cluster buses across the national capital. At present, states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir have schemes for free travel for women in state-run buses.
Bengal will now become the first BJP-ruled state to adopt a free bus travel model for women.
