Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Launches NCMC Smart Cards for MSRTC Commuters
MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis officially launched the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) enabled smart cards for the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) on Wednesday.
The ‘RuPay On-The-Go’ initiative aims to make bus travel more accessible, transparent, and seamless for millions of commuters across the state. During the event, the Chief Minister, alongside Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, distributed the first set of cards to beneficiaries, including senior citizen Ramesh Dhaware and women commuters Sangeeta Palkar and Varsha Kamble.
Digital Transformation for Social Benefits
The NCMC smart cards are linked to Aadhaar numbers, ensuring that various social groups, including students, senior citizens, specially-abled individuals, and women, can access their entitled travel concessions with ease.
“This initiative is a crucial step in bringing a digital revolution to the state’s public transport system,” Chief Minister Fadnavis stated. “It will provide passengers with a safe, convenient, and transparent service while improving the overall operational efficiency of the MSRTC.”
Key Features and Implementation
The project is being implemented through a collaboration between M/s Ebix Technologies Ltd. and NSDL Payments Bank. To ensure wide-scale adoption, the registration and distribution process will be available at all MSRTC depots and bus stations, as well as 3,000 authorized centers across Maharashtra.
Key details of the MSRTC NCMC Card:
- Cost: The new NCMC card is priced at ₹199.
- Top-up Facility: Users can recharge their cards with a minimum amount of ₹100.
- Recharge Channels: Top-ups can be done via ETIM machines on buses, the official website, a dedicated mobile app, or authorized agents.
- Interoperability: As an NCMC-compliant card, it aligns with the “One Nation, One Card” vision for multi-modal transit across India.
Transport Minister and MSRTC Chairman Pratap Sarnaik, who was present at the launch, emphasized that this move provides immense relief to concession-holders, modernization of the fleet’s ticketing infrastructure, and a more user-friendly experience for rural and urban commuters alike.
