The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation has launched a free online priority-slot booking facility for National Common Mobility Card registration, allowing passengers to avoid queues at authorised agents and choose home delivery for the card.
The facility is available through the ST website. After selecting the online ticket booking option, passengers can choose the NCMC card appointment facility and obtain a priority token for registration. The token can then be shown at any authorised ST outside agent in Maharashtra, where the passenger will receive access to the priority queue.
According to the information reported by Lokmat – Pune, the priority token is free and remains valid for up to 48 hours. A passenger can book a maximum of five priority tokens. The arrangement is intended to reduce the time travellers spend waiting for card registration and make the process more organised.
The NCMC card’s official fee has been fixed at Rs 199. No additional or higher charge is payable for activating the card, the report said. Passengers have been advised not to pay more than the notified amount to agents.
If an agent demands an additional payment, passengers can register a complaint through the assistance details displayed on the portal after the token is confirmed. Arun Siya, controller, Pune division, ST Corporation, said action would be taken against agents charging passengers more than the official fee.
Passengers who want the card delivered to their homes can select the ‘home delivery’ option shown below the form while booking a priority slot. After the option is selected, an ST team will contact the passenger, according to the report.
The new system places the registration process within ST’s existing digital booking interface, while the final registration can still be completed through an authorised outside agent. For passengers, the key operational requirements are to book the token online, use it within its 48-hour validity period and pay only the notified Rs 199 fee.
The facility is part of the ST Corporation’s effort to streamline access to the NCMC card, which is intended to make public transport payments more convenient. The report did not provide details of the number of agents currently participating in the system or the expected processing time for home delivery.
