National Mobility Cards To Soon Be Part Of Bengaluru’s Namma Metro: In Pipeline For Phase 2 Release

Bengaluru’s Namma Metro will implement the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) system at all the 62 stations of the upcoming Phase 2 project to provide a seamless transport experience to commuters, reports Deccan Herald.

“All gates at all 62 stations in Phase 2, will be ready to accept common mobility cards and the smart cards, when inaugurated in 2022. Initially, the gates will accept both common mobility cards and smart cards,” said Ajay Seth, managing director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). “We are in the mobility business and have to facilitate smooth people movement.”

On 5 March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ambitious 'One Nation One Card' for transport and mobility. NCMC, which is the first of its kind card in India, will be a bank-issued card on a debit/credit/prepaid card platform.

A customer could use a single card for payments across all segments including metro, bus, suburban, railways, tolls, parking, smart city and retail.

Switchover Time Of Two Years

To avoid unnecessary disruption, BMRCL has provided Namma Metro users with a timeline of two years to switch over from the current smart cards to the common mobility cards. “Around six lakh commuters already have smart cards and we cannot expect them to switch over immediately. But, eventually, the shift should happen and we are working towards that. Talks with other transport departments are also being held,” Seth added.

Also Read: Bengaluru: Namma Metro Hikes Minimum Smartcard Balance From Rs 8 To Rs 50; BMRCL Explains Why