NCMC card mandatory for discounted ST bus tickets from October 1
MSRTC says discounted ST bus tickets for senior citizens and women will require an NCMC card from October 1, 2026
Senior citizens and women passengers travelling by ST buses need to take note of an important change. The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has made the NCMC card mandatory for discounted tickets from October 1, 2026. The condition will apply to Amrit senior citizens, senior citizens and women passengers.
The ST Corporation has decided that discounted tickets will now be issued using the NCMC card. Card registration and distribution work has already begun at depots and bus stations across the state.
On the government's instructions, ST offers concessional travel to certain categories of passengers, including Amrit senior citizens, senior citizens and women. The NCMC card system is being used to make this concession simpler and digital.
From October 1, discounted tickets will be issued only through the NCMC card. Senior citizens and women eligible for the concession should therefore get their cards registered beforehand. Only those who already have an active NCMC card, or a registration receipt with a QR code, will get the concession.
Passengers who have not yet received their card can avail the discounted ticket by showing the QR code receipt they got after registration to the conductor's ETM machine. This receipt will be valid for up to 30 days. However, within these 30 days, passengers must activate their NCMC card and top it up with money.
Card registration and distribution has been entrusted to a company called E-Bix Technologies Limited, and registration will be carried out through bus stations, depots and authorised agents outside depots. Passengers can get their card made at the nearest authorised centre. The BHIM App can be used to top up the card. Scanning the QR code on the back of the card with the BHIM App allows a top-up.
Some passengers face difficulty in registration because their fingerprints on their Aadhaar card are not recorded properly. A separate arrangement has been made for such eligible beneficiaries. A method has been devised to allow NCMC card registration using an OTP sent to the mobile number linked to the Aadhaar card.
The NCMC card is expected to make travel concessions more transparent, digital and simple. The ST Corporation has appealed to senior citizens and women passengers to get their cards registered before October 1.
