NCMC card recharge woes prompt Namma Metro to halt new card issuance in Bengaluru

Introduced in March 2023, the NCMC card was launched in Bengaluru during the inauguration of the Whitefield-Krishnarajapura metro stretch, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi becoming its first user. Since then, over 57,000 NCMC cards have been issued in Bengaluru until October 2024.

The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has temporarily stopped issuing new National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC) following numerous complaints from commuters in Bengaluru about recharge issues over the last few weeks. The move has left several metro users relying on NCMC cards in a bind, as technical disruptions continue to impact card functionality.

Officials from BMRCL attributed the problem to ongoing insolvency proceedings involving a partner agency of the private bank responsible for issuing NCMC cards in Bengaluru. This has led to backend technical difficulties, rendering many NCMC cards inoperative.

“A section of users is experiencing issues due to backend glitches. To mitigate commuter inconvenience, our staff are offering free closed-loop Namma Metro smart cards in exchange, and the existing NCMC card balance is being transferred to the new card,” a BMRCL official said.

The official added that the issue is likely to be resolved by April 15, after which the issuance of new NCMC cards may resume.

Anjali R., a regular commuter from Indiranagar, said, “I haven’t been able to recharge my NCMC card for nearly two weeks now. It’s frustrating because I bought the card thinking it would work across all modes of transport someday, but even using it for Namma Metro has become a hassle.”

Sandeep M., a tech professional who uses the Purple Line daily from Whitefield, said, “The recharge failure caught me off guard one morning. I have been asking the metro staff but they were not aware of the issues for a week. I purchased tokens to travel daily. I hope they fix this soon because the NCMC card was supposed to be a game-changer.”

Introduced in March 2023, the NCMC card was launched in Bengaluru during the inauguration of the Whitefield-Krishnarajapura metro stretch, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi becoming its first user. Since then, over 57,000 NCMC cards have been issued in Bengaluru until October 2024.