Mumbai bus operator BEST is to begin a pilot of India ’s ‘One Nation One Card’ national transit card system in November this year. india national transit ticketing system

Announced in March 2019, the service is based on the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) — a bank-issued contactless debit/credit/prepaid card that runs on India’s domestic RuPay payments network.

The Prime Minister launched the NCMC while inaugurating the first phase of the Ahmedabad metro train service here a few months ago.

After inaugurating the 6.5-km stretch of phase one of the Ahmedabad Metro, connecting Vastral to Apparel Park Area, Modi also took a ride on the metro.

“This card runs on RuPay card and it will eliminate all your travel-related problems. Many times, we do not have chance to pay in cash while travelling in metro, bus or train, or for toll and parking. To overcome this issue, an automatic fare collection system was introduced,” Modi said.

Passengers will be able to use their card to travel on metro, bus and suburban railways across the country as well as to pay for parking and tolls and for purchases in stores.

“The ticket fare will be deducted from an in-built wallet within the card, which will not be linked to one’s bank account,” BEST general manager Surendrakumar Bagde told The Hindu. india national transit ticketing system

The NTTS is being implemented as part of the Smart Cities Mission, which aims to transform 100 cities in India into sustainable and citizen-friendly urban centers.

The NTTS project is expected to provide a range of benefits, including: India national transit ticketing system

1. Convenience: The use of a common mobility card will make it easier for commuters to pay for their travel across different modes of public transportation, without the need to carry multiple tickets or tokens.
2. Cost savings: The use of a common mobility card is expected to reduce the cost of public transportation for commuters, as they can avail of discounted fares and reduced transfer charges.
3. Improved efficiency: The NTTS is expected to improve the efficiency of public transportation systems by reducing the time taken for ticketing and payment, and by enabling better integration between different modes of transport.
4. Increased transparency: The NTTS is expected to increase transparency in public transportation systems by enabling better tracking and monitoring of passenger data, which can be used to improve service planning and delivery.

The NTTS project is being implemented in a phased manner, with the first phase involving the integration of existing smart card systems in different cities. The next phase will involve the development of a national payment gateway and the introduction of a common mobility card that can be used across different cities in India.