Commuters can buy local and outstation train tickets with NCMC from next year

Citing complexity in the current ticketing systems of local trains with single, return journeys and monthly season passes, the MRVC plans to have a separate NCMC card

MUMBAI: In order to make accessibility to the city’s public transport hassle-free, commuters will be able to purchase local and outstation train tickets with National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) from next year.

Passengers who have purchased the recently launched NCMC card by the BrihanMumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) will also be able to buy local train tickets likely from next year. (StockPic)

Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) is in the final stages of processing a tender for the introduction of NCMC cards for the city’s local train network. Tenders for the installation of the system required for the card will be floated in August. The card is expected to be introduced in March 2023.

Passengers who have purchased the recently launched NCMC card by the BrihanMumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) will also be able to buy local train tickets likely from next year.

“We will invite the tenders in August and by January, we plan to have servers that will connect other NCMC cards with our systems. Commuters with the BEST card will also be able to purchase local train tickets then,” said a senior MRVC official.

Citing complexity in the current ticketing systems of local trains with single, return journeys and monthly season passes, the MRVC plans to have a separate NCMC card.

“Passengers will be able to take out season passes as well on the NCMC cards and travel by other means of transport in the city with the cards,” added the official.

Passenger associations have stated that instead of different NCMC cards, a common card should be introduced, “A common technology should be made wherein a single card and a single entity handling all the ticket purchase of the public transport should be done. Railways and BEST will be having separate cards, instead, a common software system should be introduced,” said Subhash Gupta, president, Rail Yatri Parishad.

Further, Centre for Railway Information System (CRIS) is also working on introducing a common card for passengers travelling onboard outstation trains.