The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will make the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) mandatory from October 1 for senior citizens, Amrit senior citizens and women passengers using its fare concession schemes, according to a report by the Times of India – Mumbai.
The change is intended to digitise and streamline concession travel on state transport buses. Eligible passengers who have an active NCMC card or a registration receipt carrying a QR code will be allowed to buy discounted tickets after the new system takes effect.
Card registration and distribution have already begun at bus stations and depots across Maharashtra. MSRTC has appointed E-Bix Technologies Limited as the authorised agency responsible for managing registration at bus stands and designated centres.
Passengers waiting for their physical cards will be able to use the QR code-enabled registration receipt for 30 days. The receipt will be scanned on the conductor’s Electronic Ticketing Machine, allowing eligible passengers to continue receiving the concession while their cards are issued.
During this 30-day period, passengers are required to activate and top up their NCMC cards. MSRTC has said that card holders can add money by scanning the QR code printed on the back of the card through the BHIM app.
The transition also includes an alternative for beneficiaries who face difficulties completing biometric fingerprint authentication on their identity cards. They can complete registration through an OTP sent to the mobile number linked to their identity document.
The NCMC system is being used to connect passenger identification, concession eligibility and ticketing through a digital process. For passengers who regularly depend on subsidised bus travel, the practical effect will depend on completing registration before the October 1 deadline and keeping the card active after the temporary receipt period expires.
MSRTC has urged all eligible senior citizens and women passengers to register before October 1 to avoid disruption to concession travel. The corporation’s stated aim is to make the process transparent and hassle-free, while the QR receipt and OTP provisions are intended to support passengers who are waiting for cards or unable to complete biometric authentication.
