Bengaluru Metro Stops NCMC Cards, Fix Likely by April 15
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The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has temporarily stopped issuing new National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC) as ongoing technical problems have hindered recharge capabilities for current cardholders.
Each day, nearly 1,000 commuters visit Metro station service counters seeking NCMC cards. However, due to backend malfunctions, BMRCL has paused distribution until the issue is resolved. Officials project that the matter will be fixed by April 15.
Sources linked the disruption to insolvency proceedings involving AGS Transact Technologies, the former tech partner of RBL Bank, responsible for issuing NCMC cards in the city. RBL has since onboarded a new vendor.
In response to user complaints about failed recharge attempts, Metro staff are offering closed-loop smart cards as temporary alternatives. Existing balances from malfunctioning NCMC cards are being transferred to these substitutes.
Saneesh S, a commuter at Cubbon Park Metro Station, reported being unable to recharge his RBL-issued card despite maintaining a balance. “I had Rs 55 on the card. The staff told me it couldn’t be recharged and suggested switching to a different card. I had already completed KYC, so I didn’t understand the point of replacement,” he told Moneycontrol.
BMRCL's chief PRO, BL Yeshwanth Chavan, confirmed that backend issues had rendered some NCMC cards unusable. He stated that closed-loop cards are being provided free of cost to prevent disruption to travel.
From March 2023 to October 2024, about 57,000 NCMC cards were issued in Bengaluru through RBL Bank in collaboration with AGS Transact.
The NCMC project, developed by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, is designed as a single interoperable payment solution usable for transit, retail, tolls, and more via the RuPay network.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to use the NCMC in Bengaluru during the Whitefield-Krishnarajapura Metro corridor inauguration in March 2023. Despite that milestone, the card remains unsupported by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC).