Bengaluru Metro To Promote National Common Mobility Cards
Bengaluru”s metro system, operated by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), is poised to embrace the National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC) as a replacement for its existing Contactless Smart Cards (CSC). BMRCL”s CSC, tailored for exclusive use within the metro network, is set to give way to the RuPay NCMC, aligning with the nationwide “One Nation, One Card” initiative. This transition aims to foster interoperability across all transportation networks in India and extend card usage to shopping, retail establishments, and fuel stations.
Notably, CSC sales are slated to be limited to specific hours—8 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 8 pm—starting from August 21. In contrast, the RuPay NCMC will be available for purchase throughout operational hours at metro stations.
BMRCL”s Chief Public Relations Officer, BL Yashwanth Chavan, expressed the rationale behind this transition, explaining, “We are now planning to phase out CSC to reduce the burden of passengers having different cards for travel and shopping needs.”
To facilitate a smooth transition, BMRCL is devising a strategy to transfer any remaining balance from existing CSCs to NCMCs. Chavan elaborated, “We are working on the modalities, and the testing is ongoing; the facility will soon be available to the passengers.”
Introduced in collaboration with RBL Bank in March 2023, the NCMC has seen issuance to approximately 5,400 individuals so far. However, its adoption has been tempered by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation”s (BMTC) stance of not yet accepting NCMCs on its buses. This issue underscores the need for broader acceptance and integration across various transportation systems.
BMRCL is committed to enhancing the NCMC experience for commuters, starting from August 21. To facilitate a smoother transition, passengers are encouraged to undertake a Minimal Know Your Customer (KYC) process by self-registering on the nammametro.agsindia.com website or the BMRCL RBL Bank NCMC mobile application. Sharing the registration number or mobile number with the counter operator is an integral step in this process.
The NCMC card, priced at Rs 50, carries an additional perk of a 5 percent travel fare discount. It is also available at select RBL Bank branches, making it convenient for potential users.
With a daily ridership averaging 6.1-6.2 lakh, BMRCL”s pivotal role in Bengaluru”s transit landscape is evident. Since its inception in 2011, the metro system has issued around 40 lakhs CSC cards. Presently, about 60% of commuters utilize CSCs, while the remainder employs tokens and QR codes for their journeys.
In November 2022, BMRCL initiated QR code ticketing, enabling passengers to secure single-journey transit tickets through the Namma Metro mobile app and even WhatsApp. The adoption of QR codes has been steadily growing, with around 55,000 daily users, reflecting the metro”s efforts to modernise the travel experience.
“We are now encouraging more people to use QR tickets instead of tokens, and its popularity has been growing over the past few months,” stated Chavan, underscoring BMRCL”s commitment to providing convenient and efficient travel options to its passengers.
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