Maharashtra’s state transport system is accelerating its digital transformation with a new mandate requiring commuters eligible for subsidised fares on state transport (ST) buses to hold a National Common Mobility Card (NCMC). The reform, announced by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), aims to modernise fare collection, ensure transparent subsidy administration and reduce reliance on cash transactions across the vast intercity and rural bus network serving millions of riders.
Under the policy, passengers entitled to concessionary rates — including students, senior citizens, women, persons with disabilities (Divyang), freedom fighters, accredited journalists and state awardees — must apply for and use an NCMC to receive their discounted fares. These cards will be digitally linked to official identity systems such as state Saral numbers, Aadhaar or UDID, enabling authorities to automate eligibility verification and subsidy settlement.Transport officials frame the new requirement as a step toward a more accountable, cashless public transport ecosystem. In rural and peri-urban areas served by MSRTC, long queues, cash handling errors and opaque record-keeping have historically frustrated both riders and administrators. The NCMC system is designed to tackle these challenges by creating a unified platform where concessions are logged and processed electronically, helping reduce disputes over eligibility and fares.
The card itself, priced at ₹199 including GST (with a concession rate of ₹149 for holders of older smart cards), functions as a digital wallet that riders must pre-load with at least ₹100. Recharging can be done via mobile apps, authorised agents, ETIM machines at depots and online portals. To support equitable access, MSRTC has appointed more than 3,000 agents statewide to assist particularly senior citizens and women with registration and top-ups.Urban mobility analysts note the broader implications of this shift beyond cashless ticketing. Linking fare concessions to secure, digitally authenticated cards could significantly reduce fraud and leakage in subsidy programmes — a persistent issue in many Indian public transport systems. It also aligns with evolving national frameworks that seek interoperability of mobility cards across metros, buses and regional rail networks, potentially enhancing seamless multimodal travel in future.
However, this transition raises practical concerns for inclusion and access. Digital card adoption assumes users have or can obtain requisite identity documentation and digital literacy, which may be uneven in remote districts. While MSRTC’s agent network and on-site depot registration aim to mitigate these gaps, community advocates warn that ancillary support — such as mobile registration units and multilingual outreach — will be essential to avoid disenfranchising vulnerable riders.From an infrastructure perspective, Maharashtra’s move underscores a growing trend among Indian states to integrate digital payment systems with public transport operations. The shift to NCMC for concessional travel sits alongside broader goals to unify ticketing platforms and support data-driven planning for operational efficiency. In time, the digital fare ecosystem could offer real-time insights into travel patterns, enabling more responsive service schedules and targeted investments in underserved corridors.
As the rollout progresses, MSRTC will need to closely monitor user uptake and system reliability, ensuring rural, economically marginalised and digitally underserved populations are supported during the transition. The NCMC mandate represents not just technological modernisation but a test of how equitable digital infrastructure can reshape access to affordable public mobility across Maharashtra’s growing urban and rural hinterlands.
