NCMC card mandatory for ST concessions from October 1; women and senior citizens must register
Amrut Jyeshtha Nagrik, senior citizen and women passengers availing Maharashtra ST concessions must hold an NCMC card from October 1, 2026.
The National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) has been made mandatory from October 1, 2026 for Amrut Jyeshtha Nagrik, Jyeshtha Nagrik (senior citizen) and women passengers who avail themselves of the various concession schemes of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (ST Mahamandal). Eligible passengers must register for the card in time.
The ST Mahamandal offers travel concessions to different social categories as per government directions. The NCMC system has been introduced to deliver these concessions in a more digital and transparent manner. Registration and distribution of the cards is 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, during which the card must be activated and loaded with money.
There are complaints that passengers face various difficulties, from getting the card made to activating and topping it up. Ebix Technologies Limited has been appointed the authorised agency for card registration and distribution. Cards can also be topped up by scanning a QR code on the BHIM app.
A separate arrangement has been made for eligible passengers whose fingerprints are not recognised in the Aadhaar biometric process. They can register for the NCMC card through 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 deadline has now been enforced. The ST Mahamandal has therefore appealed to women and senior citizens who travel at concessional rates to register for the card.
The move is an attempt to digitise the concessional travel process. Even so, it will be important to resolve the problems related to card registration, distribution and top-up. The system will have to run effectively so that women and senior passengers, who travel in large numbers, get the concession without hindrance.
