Mumbai: Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has relaxed the mandatory National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) requirement for women passengers until December 31, offering relief to commuters struggling with registration and activation. From November 7, women can continue travelling at concessionary fares without the card, following complaints of inconvenience and a decline in the corporation’s daily revenue.
The decision comes after MSRTC’s average daily earnings fell from Rs 33 crore in September to Rs 28 crore in October, a drop of Rs 5 crore. The corporation’s losses also increased by Rs 36.33 crore in September 2026 compared with the corresponding period last year. While MSRTC has not officially attributed the revenue decline to the NCMC requirement, the difficulties faced by passengers during its implementation have come under scrutiny.
Passengers Face Card Registration Difficulties
The card was made compulsory from October 1 for women and senior citizens availing of concessionary fares. However, passengers reported difficulties in registering, activating and using the cards. The problem was particularly pronounced in rural areas, where awareness about the requirement and access to registration facilities remained limited.
For women travelling regularly on MSRTC buses, the relaxation means they will not have to forgo their concessionary fares simply because they do not possess an NCMC card. The decision is also expected to ease the pressure on passengers who depend on the state transport network for daily travel.
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Special Camps To Clear Registration Backlog
MSRTC has so far registered and distributed around 1.10 crore NCMC cards. However, a large number of eligible women are yet to complete the process.
To address the backlog, the corporation will organise special registration and distribution camps at the gram panchayat level, with assistance from local representatives, passenger associations and gram panchayat officials.
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