Pune: NCMC Card Registration Problems Trouble MSRTC Passengers; Senior Citizens Hit By Server Issues & Limited Timings

Pune: Passengers of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) are facing major difficulties in obtaining the newly introduced National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), with senior citizens emerging as the worst-affected group.

The card, intended to simplify travel and verification processes for ST passengers, has become a source of frustration due to technical glitches, limited registration hours, and repeated closure of registration centres.

According to the Maharashtra Transport Department, the NCMC card will become mandatory for eligible MSRTC passengers from August 1, 2026.

Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik recently reiterated the decision, stating that the card would streamline travel for women, senior citizens, and beneficiaries of concession schemes by eliminating the need to carry multiple identity documents such as Aadhaar cards or voter IDs.

However, passengers have complained about the irregular functioning of registration centres and restricted registration timings. In Pune, NCMC card registration is currently available only between 9 am and 11 am, giving citizens just a two-hour window to apply.

Adding to the inconvenience, the registration centre at Swargate Bus Depot has remained closed for new applications on several days, with officials reportedly informing visitors that the centre is occupied with distributing cards to previously registered applicants.

Senior Citizens Forced To Make Repeated Visits

The cumbersome process has particularly affected elderly passengers. To obtain a card, applicants must first visit the centre for registration and later return to collect the card. Due to server failures, token shortages, and intermittent closure of centres, many citizens claim they have been forced to make five to six visits before completing the process.

Bapu Saheb Shinde, a senior citizen, told The Free Press Journal, “We stand in queues for hours only to be told that the server is down or the centre is closed. The registration timings should be extended, and technical glitches should not become a reason for citizens to suffer in the scorching heat.”

According to officials, 91 agents have been appointed across the Pune division for NCMC registration. By May 2026, nearly 1.7 lakh cards had been registered in the division. Despite this, lakhs of eligible beneficiaries, particularly senior citizens, are yet to receive their cards.

Statewide Numbers Raise Questions

Across Maharashtra, around 51 lakh people have registered for NCMC smart cards, while only about 25 lakh cards have been activated so far. With the August 1 deadline approaching, concerns are growing over whether the government machinery will be able to provide cards to all eligible passengers in time.

Passengers have also alleged that outsourcing the card issuance process to private contractors has resulted in poor coordination and arbitrary functioning at distribution centres. Women, senior citizens, and beneficiaries of concession schemes say they are being forced to move from one counter to another to obtain a single card.

With registration centres functioning irregularly and technical issues continuing, commuters and citizen groups are demanding that the government either extend the deadline or immediately strengthen the registration infrastructure.