NCMC card mandatory for ST concessions from October 1 for women and senior citizens

The National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) has been made mandatory from October 1, 2026 for Amrut Jyeshtha Nagrik, senior citizen and women passengers who avail of the concession schemes of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (ST). Passengers eligible for concessional tickets must therefore register for the card in time.

On the government's directions, the ST corporation offers fare concessions to different social categories. The NCMC system has been introduced to give the concessions in a more digital and transparent manner. Registration and distribution of the cards are under way at ST depots and bus stations across the state.

From October 1, concessional tickets will be issued only through the NCMC card. However, passengers who have registered for the card and hold a registration receipt with a QR code will also get the concession. The receipt will be valid for 30 days, and the card must be activated and loaded with money within this period.

Passengers have complained of a range of difficulties, from registering for the NCMC card to activating it and topping it up. E-Bix Technologies Limited has been appointed the authorised agency for registration and distribution of the cards. Cards can also be topped up by scanning a QR code on the BHIM app.

An alternative has been arranged for eligible passengers whose fingerprints are not picked up by the Aadhaar biometric process. They can register for the NCMC card using an OTP sent to the mobile number linked to their Aadhaar.

The deadline for making the NCMC card mandatory had been extended earlier. The October 1 date has now been enforced. The ST corporation has therefore appealed to women and senior citizens who travel on concessions to register for the card.

While the concessional travel process is being digitised, it will be equally important to resolve the problems with card registration, distribution and top-up. The system will have to run effectively so that women and elderly passengers, who travel in large numbers, continue to get the concession without interruption.