Mumbai: Passengers availing fare concessions on Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses will have to use the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) from August 1. The new rule will initially apply to women, senior citizens and Amrit Senior Citizen passengers, with the facility set to be expanded to other concession categories in phases.
Announcing the move, MSRTC Chairman and State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said the decision aims to curb misuse of concession schemes and bring greater transparency to the system. The state-run transport undertaking currently offers fare concessions to nearly 35 categories of passengers, including students, persons with disabilities, women, senior citizens and award recipients. Officials said cases of fake identity cards and forged documents being used to claim concessions had been detected in the past, prompting the need for a secure digital verification system.
According to the corporation, more than 51 lakh passengers have already completed registration for the NCMC card across Maharashtra, while around 25 lakh cards have been activated. To support the rollout, over 4,000 authorised agents have been appointed. Sarnaik warned that strict action would be taken against any distribution centre found charging more than the prescribed fee, adding that licences of such agents would be cancelled.
Students will receive cards linked to their SARAL identification number, while women and senior citizens will be issued Aadhaar-linked cards. Persons with disabilities will get cards linked to their Unique Disability ID (UDID), and accredited journalists, freedom fighters and state award winners will receive cards through divisional offices and designated depots.
Passengers can obtain the card at bus stations by paying ₹199. A replacement card after expiry will cost ₹149. The card must maintain a minimum balance of ₹100 and can be recharged through ETIM machines, the official website, mobile application or authorised agents.
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