In a major administrative reform, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has made it compulsory for passengers eligible for fare concessions to use the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) while travelling on its buses.Transport Minister and MSRTC Chairman Pratap Sarnaik announced the decision on February 11, stating that the move aims to modernise ticketing and ensure that government subsidies reach the intended beneficiaries through a transparent digital system.
For decades, concessional travel in state transport buses relied on physical passes, identity cards, and manual verification by conductors, which often caused delays and record-keeping difficulties. Under the new system, eligibility details will be digitally verified through the NCMC, reducing paperwork and minimising the possibility of misuse.
Passengers such as students, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, accredited journalists, and other notified beneficiaries will need to obtain the mobility card to continue availing fare concessions, said Nilesh Bawane, Assistant Traffic Superintendent, MSRTC Nagpur. The card will be valid across all “Lalpari” routes offering concessional travel. Being a contactless smart card, it can be tapped on electronic ticketing machines, enabling faster ticket issuance and reducing cash transactions.
Officials said the digital system will help the corporation maintain accurate travel data, track the use of concessions, calculate subsidy reimbursements more precisely, and improve financial planning. The adoption of the NCMC platform, introduced in 2019, is also expected to support future integration of different public transport systems under a single payment mechanism.
To assist elderly passengers and those unfamiliar with digital systems, facilitation support will be provided. For implementation of the project, MSRTC has partnered with Ebix Technologies Ltd and NSDL Payments Bank.
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