Gujarat Divyang Bus Pass on DigiLocker: 4.42 lakh passes, national recognition
Synopsis
Gujarat's Divyang Bus Pass has gone paperless — and gone national. With 4.42 lakh passes now on DigiLocker, persons with disabilities can travel free on GSRTC buses using just their smartphones. The scheme's national recognition signals it could become a blueprint for digital disability welfare across India.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat's Divyang Bus Pass has been integrated with DigiLocker , enabling digital access for persons with disabilities.
More than 4.42 lakh passes have been issued, covering free travel on all GSRTC buses across the state.
The initiative was nationally recognised at the National Consultative Workshop on Strengthening Cybersecurity Frameworks for State Data in May 2026 .
The National e-Governance Division (NeGD) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology facilitated the DigiLocker integration.
Each Divyang Bus Pass includes an accidental death insurance cover of ₹4 lakh for the pass holder's nominee or legal heir.
Gujarat's digital bus pass scheme for persons with disabilities has earned national recognition following its integration with DigiLocker, enabling over 4.42 lakh beneficiaries across the state to store and present their passes digitally on mobile devices — eliminating the need to carry a physical document for free travel on Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) buses.
What the Integration Does
The Social Justice and Empowerment Department, working alongside Gujarat's State e-Governance Mission Team (SeMT), has embedded the Divyang Bus Pass within the DigiLocker ecosystem. Beneficiaries can now securely access their government-issued passes at any time through their smartphones, use them for seamless verification during GSRTC travel, and avoid the risk of a physical pass being lost or damaged.
Harshad Patel, Secretary of the Social Justice and Empowerment Department, said, 'The DigiLocker integration eliminates the need to carry a physical pass while protecting beneficiaries against its loss or damage. It allows secure, anytime access through mobile devices, promotes paperless governance, and provides a government-approved digital document for seamless verification.'
National Recognition at May 2026 Workshop
The initiative was acknowledged at the National Consultative Workshop on Strengthening Cybersecurity Frameworks for State Data, held in May 2026. The National e-Governance Division (NeGD), operating under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, had facilitated the technical integration of DigiLocker with state-level digital service platforms — of which Gujarat's Divyang Bus Pass is now a recognised example.
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr Pradyuman Vaja confirmed that the department has issued more than 4.42 lakh passes to date, covering free travel on all GSRTC routes across Gujarat.
Insurance Cover for Pass Holders
Beyond travel benefits, the Divyang Bus Pass carries an accidental death insurance cover of ₹4 lakh. In the event of the accidental death of a pass holder, the nominee or legal heir can claim this benefit by submitting the prescribed documents to the concerned department — a provision that significantly broadens the welfare value of the pass beyond mobility alone.
Broader Digital India Alignment
The Divyang Bus Pass integration sits within Gujarat's wider push to digitise public service delivery and improve accessibility for citizens with disabilities. It aligns with the Digital India framework's emphasis on paperless governance and anytime access to essential government documents. This comes amid growing momentum across Indian states to migrate welfare entitlements onto DigiLocker, reducing administrative friction for marginalised communities. With 4.42 lakh passes already issued, Gujarat's model is now positioned as a replicable template for other states looking to digitise disability welfare credentials.
Point of View
But the real test is uptake: whether 4.42 lakh pass holders are actively using the digital version or defaulting to physical copies out of habit or connectivity gaps. If NeGD can replicate this integration across other states' disability schemes, it could meaningfully reduce the documentation burden that keeps eligible beneficiaries out of welfare systems.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Gujarat Divyang Bus Pass and who can get it?
The Divyang Bus Pass is a government-issued travel document for persons with disabilities in Gujarat, entitling holders to free travel on all GSRTC buses across the state. It is issued by the Social Justice and Empowerment Department and has been extended to more than 4.42 lakh beneficiaries.
How does the DigiLocker integration help Divyang Bus Pass holders?
The integration allows beneficiaries to store and access their bus pass digitally on a smartphone via DigiLocker, removing the need to carry a physical document. It also protects against loss or damage of the pass and provides a government-approved digital document for verification during travel.
Why did the Divyang Bus Pass receive national recognition?
The scheme was recognised at the National Consultative Workshop on Strengthening Cybersecurity Frameworks for State Data, held in May 2026. The National e-Governance Division (NeGD) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology facilitated the DigiLocker integration that earned the recognition.
What is the insurance benefit linked to the Divyang Bus Pass?
Each Divyang Bus Pass includes an accidental death insurance cover of ₹4 lakh. If the pass holder dies in an accident, the nominee or legal heir can claim the benefit by submitting the prescribed documents to the concerned department.
How does this initiative align with Digital India goals?
The Divyang Bus Pass integration supports the Digital India framework's push for paperless governance and digital access to government documents. It is part of Gujarat's broader effort to digitise public service delivery, particularly for citizens with disabilities, and serves as a potential model for other states.
