New Rule Takes Effect From September 1
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has made the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) mandatory for women and eligible senior citizens who want to avail themselves of government travel concessions on state-run buses.
The new requirement takes effect from September 1, 2026. From this date, eligible passengers will receive concession tickets through their NCMC instead of the earlier manual process.
Who Will Need the NCMC?
The requirement currently applies to women passengers and senior citizens aged 65 to 75 years who use government-approved travel concessions on MSRTC buses.
Passengers in these categories have been asked to complete the registration and card-distribution process before travelling.
The MSRTC has also said that the NCMC requirement will subsequently be extended to other categories of passengers who are eligible for travel concessions.
Amrit Senior Citizens Get More Time
Senior citizens above 75 years, classified as Amrit Senior Citizens, have been given additional time before the NCMC becomes mandatory for them.
The extension has been provided because some beneficiaries have faced difficulties during registration, particularly with fingerprint authentication.
The MSRTC has said that the registration and distribution process for this category will continue separately.
Passengers Must Keep Their Cards Topped Up
Getting the NCMC card alone will not be sufficient.
Passengers using the concession facility will also need to ensure that their cards have the required balance by topping them up before travelling.
The MSRTC has issued standard operating procedures to its various depots regarding the implementation of the new system.
Eligible passengers have therefore been advised to visit their nearest MSRTC depot to complete registration, collect their card and ensure that it is activated and adequately funded.
More Than 62 Lakh People Already Registered
The NCMC rollout has already reached millions of passengers across Maharashtra.
As of June 30, more than 62.86 lakh passengers had registered for the cards, while over 35.52 lakh cards had been activated.
The large-scale registration drive reflects the state’s attempt to shift concession travel towards a digital and card-based system.
Why Maharashtra Is Introducing the NCMC System
The NCMC system is intended to make concession travel more transparent and reduce dependence on manual verification.
A digital card can allow MSRTC to identify eligible beneficiaries, record concession journeys and process related transactions more systematically.
The move is also part of the corporation’s broader effort to encourage cashless and digital ticketing across its bus network.
Registration and Distribution Still Underway
The MSRTC has appointed E-Bix Technologies Ltd to undertake registration and distribution of the cards.
The corporation is continuing the process for women and senior citizens while preparing to cover other concession categories in subsequent stages.
Passengers who have not yet completed the process have been urged not to wait until their next journey, as the card will be required to obtain concession tickets.
What Happens Without the Card?
From September 1, women and senior citizens covered by the current requirement will not be issued concession tickets through the earlier process.
Their concession will be linked to the NCMC system instead.
This makes registration particularly important for frequent MSRTC passengers who depend on government concessions to reduce their travel costs.
A Major Digital Shift for MSRTC
The mandatory NCMC system represents a significant change in how Maharashtra administers public-transport concessions.
Instead of relying primarily on manual identification and ticketing, the state is moving towards a system where passenger eligibility and concession travel can be managed digitally.
For the government and MSRTC, this could improve monitoring and transparency. For passengers, however, the transition means completing registration and ensuring that the card remains active and topped up.
What Eligible Passengers Should Do
Women and senior citizens who regularly travel on MSRTC buses using concessions should complete their NCMC registration at the earliest.
They should also ensure that the card has been activated and contains the required balance before boarding a bus.
Those above 75 years who qualify as Amrit Senior Citizens can continue to wait for the separate rollout applicable to their category.
The immediate priority, however, is for women and senior citizens aged 65 to 75, for whom the new requirement has now come into force.
Summary
Maharashtra has made the National Common Mobility Card mandatory from September 1 for women and senior citizens aged 65 to 75 who want to receive travel concessions on MSRTC buses. Eligible passengers must register, activate and top up their cards. Senior citizens above 75 have received additional time because of registration difficulties, while the NCMC rollout will later cover other concession beneficiaries.
