NEW DELHI: Commuters in Delhi will soon be able to use a single smart card across public transport as the city prepares to roll out the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) programme. The contactless prepaid card allows travel on all applicable public transport services in Delhi and other participating areas.
The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has invited bids from nationalised banks to issue colour-coded cards: pink for women and the transgender community, blue for all passengers, and orange as a monthly pass for general and concessional commuters. Cards will be available to bona fide Delhi residents aged 12 and above with valid proof of address.
During bus travel, commuters will specify their destination to the conductor, who will use the Electronic Ticketing Machine (ETM) to generate an e-ticket. Fares will be deducted from the card via contactless tapping, with transaction data sent securely to back-end servers and the acquirer bank.
Cards can be recharged online or at points of sale. Inspectors may verify card validity and impose fines for malpractice.
Daily DTC ridership averages 14.25 lakh male and 14.79 lakh female passengers, excluding 10.8 lakh monthly
pass holders.