Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has started a new digital facility called the NCMC Smart Card to make travel easier for concession passengers. The transport department said that more than one lakh people have already registered for this card.
Transport Minister and MSRTC Chairman Pratap Sarnaik shared this information and said the response from passengers across the state has been very positive.
The smart card is mainly for passengers who get travel discounts, such as women and senior citizens. Even though the card has been launched, it is not compulsory right now. Passengers can still travel without it for the time being. Officials have asked people to register for the card at nearby bus stations, depots, or authorised centres.
In just one week, more than 1,00,000 registrations were completed. A large number of women under the Mahila Samman Yojana joined the scheme. Many senior citizens also registered under the Amrit Senior Citizen scheme, showing interest in digital travel services.
Officials said this initiative is not only a technical change but also an effort to make travel simpler, safer, and more transparent. The move will also reduce cash transactions and promote digital payments.
The transport department also clarified that rumours on social media claiming the card will be mandatory from March 1 are false. The smart card will become compulsory only after about 80% of concession passengers complete registration.
In the future, this single smart card may be used for different public transport services, making ticket booking faster and more convenient for passengers across Maharashtra.