BMRCL to issue universal cards that can be used nationwide

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: To encourage the adoption of National Common Mobility Cards (NCMCs), Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) has taken steps to gradually discontinue the sale of contactless smartcards.

Starting from Monday, RuPay NCMCs will be purchasable at all Namma Metro stations during operational hours, BMRCL said.

The availability of contactless smartcards will be limited to two-time slots: 8 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 8 pm. BMRCL highlighted the advantages of NCMCs over contactless smartcards, aligning with the 'One Nation, One Card' initiative.

NCMCs offer compatibility across all transportation systems nationwide, differing from contactless smartcards which are restricted to metro travel. NCMCs, functioning as openloop cards, can be utilised for metro travel, shopping, retail stores, and fuel stations.

The corporation's goal is to eventually phase out closedloop smartcards, streamlining travel and shopping experiences by replacing multiple cards. Interested metro passengers looking to acquire NCMCs need to provide their Know Your Customer (KYC) details.

They can self-register on nammametro.agsindia. com or use the BMRCL RBL Bank NCMC mobile app. The registration/phone number should then be provided to the ticket counter for card issuance.

Priced at Rs 50, NCMCs offer a 5% fare discount similar to smartcards. NCMCs are also accessible at RBL Bank branches.