Sun Sep 14 20:01:40 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article based on the provided text, followed by a brief summary:

**Summary of the text:**

The Delhi government is nearing approval of a plan to provide free bus travel to transgender individuals on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses. This follows a High Court order in 2022 to decide on extending this benefit and recognizing transgender persons as a “third gender” on tickets. The plan is currently awaiting Cabinet approval, with a revised version being submitted following a request to align it with the existing free travel scheme for women (using pink tickets). An activist involved in the case highlights the undue hardship caused by the delays, as the court had previously warned against inaction.

**News Article:**

**Delhi Government Nears Approval for Free Bus Travel for Transgender Individuals**

**New Delhi, September 15, 2025** – The Delhi government has informed the High Court that its proposal to offer free bus travel to transgender individuals on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses is in its final stages. The announcement came in an affidavit filed before Justice Amit Sharma, during a hearing related to a contempt petition.

The petition alleges that the Delhi government has been willfully disobedient to an October 2022 order to decide within four months on extending free bus travel to the transgender community. This order was in response to a public interest litigation filed by activist Amit Juyal, who pointed out the lack of a “third gender” option on DTC tickets.

According to the affidavit, a draft Cabinet note outlining the free bus pass scheme for transgender persons was initially submitted to Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh. However, the Minister directed the scheme to be revised to mirror the existing free travel program for women, which utilizes pink tickets.

“The department is revising the plan accordingly and will submit it within a week,” the affidavit stated.

Activist Amit Juyal expressed concerns about the prolonged delays, which he said have caused “undue hardship” to the transgender community. The High Court previously warned the DTC against “protracted inaction” in April 2023. The revised plan is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet soon, potentially paving the way for implementation of the much-anticipated free travel scheme.

Read More