Maharashtra: NCMC Smart Card Mandatory for Women and Senior Citizens on MSRTC Buses from August 1
Mumbai, 12th June 2026: In a major step towards digitising public transport services and improving transparency in ticketing, Maharashtra Transport Minister and Chairman of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), Pratap Sarnaik, has announced that the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) Smart Card will become mandatory for women, senior citizens, and Amrit Senior Citizen passengers availing travel concessions on MSRTC buses from August 1, 2026.
The state government has accelerated the registration and distribution drive for NCMC Smart Cards across Maharashtra ahead of the deadline. According to official figures, nearly 51 lakh citizens have registered for the card so far, while approximately 25 lakh cards have already been activated. The remaining registered beneficiaries are expected to receive activated cards soon.
The Transport Minister urged eligible passengers not to delay the process and to complete registration and activation before the August 1 deadline to continue availing travel benefits without disruption.
To facilitate easy access and avoid inconvenience to commuters, more than 4,000 NCMC Smart Card distribution centres have been established across Maharashtra. These centres are actively serving citizens in both urban and rural areas.
Sarnaik also warned against any malpractice in the distribution process. He stated that strict action would be taken against centres found charging more than the prescribed fee for issuing smart cards. Distribution licences of such centres would be cancelled immediately, he said.
The NCMC Smart Card system is being implemented to ensure seamless delivery of government travel concessions to women, senior citizens, and Amrit Senior Citizens, while enhancing transparency in ticket issuance and modernising passenger management systems.
The minister appealed to all eligible beneficiaries to obtain and activate their NCMC Smart Cards before August 1 to avoid any inconvenience while travelling on MSRTC services.
Officials said the initiative marks an important milestone in the digital transformation of Maharashtra’s public transport system and is expected to bring a larger number of passengers onto a unified smart mobility platform in the coming years.
