MSRTC makes NCMC card mandatory for concession travel from October 1; lost cards can be blocked

Important information has emerged for ST bus passengers in Maharashtra about the NCMC card. Amrit Jyeshtha Nagrik, Jyeshtha Nagrik and women passengers will now have to use the NCMC card to travel at concessional fares. Many passengers may wonder how they will get the concession if the card is lost or stolen. The ST corporation has made an alternative arrangement for this.

The NCMC card will be mandatory from October 1, 2026 for Amrit Jyeshtha Nagrik, Jyeshtha Nagrik and women passengers who avail themselves of the various concession schemes of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). The corporation has decided that the NCMC card must be used when issuing concessional tickets.

Registration and distribution of NCMC cards has begun at ST depots and bus stations across the state. Passengers eligible for concessions must therefore register for the NCMC card before October 1. Passengers who have an active NCMC card, or a receipt with a QR code for card registration, will get the concession.

Passengers need not panic if the NCMC card is lost or stolen during travel. A facility to block a lost or stolen card has been provided. After the card is blocked, passengers can register again for a new NCMC card by paying a fee of Rs 199. The concession will therefore not stop permanently because a card is lost. Re-registration must be done as per the prescribed procedure to obtain a new card.

A facility to top up the card through the BHIM app has also been provided. The QR code printed on the back of the card can be scanned with the BHIM app to top up, making it easy for passengers to add the required amount digitally.

Some eligible beneficiaries may face difficulty if their fingerprints are not recognised in the Aadhaar biometric check during registration. The corporation has kept an option for such passengers too. A process has been created to register the NCMC card through an OTP sent to the mobile number linked to Aadhaar, so eligible beneficiaries who face problems with biometric verification can also register.

After NCMC card registration, Amrit Jyeshtha Nagrik, Jyeshtha Nagrik and women concession holders will get a receipt with a QR code. This receipt can be used for concessional travel for a limited period. Passengers can have the receipt scanned on the conductor's ETM machine to get a concessional ticket. However, the receipt will be valid for only 30 days. Passengers must therefore activate their NCMC card and top it up within these 30 days.

E-Bix Technologies Limited has been appointed authorised agent for registration and distribution of NCMC cards at ST bus stations and depots, as well as outside depot limits. Eligible passengers will be able to register their cards at their nearest authorised centre. Card distribution is also taking place under the same arrangement.

As per government directions, the ST corporation provides travel at concessional rates to various social categories, including concessions for Amrit Jyeshtha Nagrik, Jyeshtha Nagrik and women passengers. The NCMC card system will be important in making concessional travel more transparent, digital and easy. Concessional tickets will be issued only through the NCMC card from October 1, 2026, and the corporation has appealed to eligible senior citizens and women passengers to register before then.