Month: March 2026

Chalo Bengaluru: BMTC Awards Contract For Smart Ticketing Including NCMC

The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has finally gone ahead and awarded the contract for ticketing to Chalo Mobility, the Mumbai-based startup that handles ticketing operations in multiple cities across India, as reported by Christin Mathew Philip for MoneyControl. The contract is set for a term of five years, valued at ₹40 crore. Chalo will maintain the electronic ticket machines (ETMs) and set-up a comprehensive ticketing system including mobile payments and support for the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC). Chalo will supply around 11,000 ETMs with the number expected to go up to 15,000 in the future.

Currently, Transhelp Technologies’ Tummoc operates the BMTC’s digital ticketing system while Amnex handles he vehicle tracking. Bengaluru currently has NCMC’s issued by RBL Bank for Namma Metro and also Orbit Wallet’s NCMC issued through the Electronics City Industries Association (ELCIA) to employees to promote cashless transactions. Orbit was the winner of the Karnataka government’s STAMP challenge in 2025.

Interestingly, in May 2025, the BMTC had said that it would roll-out support for the NCMC with the existing machines.

Chalo is also the partner for NCMC-led ticketing in Mumbai (BEST), Chhatrapati Shambhaji Nagar (formerly Aurangabad), Jammu, Srinagar and Guwahati.

Interestingly, in 2011, BEST had partnered with Trimax IT for electronic ticketing and in 2016, BMTC partnered with Trimax IT for vehicle tracking.

Loading

Flattr this!

DTC Saheli Card Launch Marks Start Of NCMC Operations On Delhi Buses

In a move to recalibrate Delhi’s free bus travel for women, the Government of NCT Delhi (GNCTD) launched the Pink Saheli Card as a replacement for the existing Pink Ticket scheme launched by the erstwhile AAP government. Under the new model, Pink coloured cards would be issued to eligible women – women who live in Delhi, validated with their Aadhaar card – which would function as an NCMC. Regular NCMCs (Blue, and Orange for pass holders) would also be issued to others, while existing Delhi Metro and other NCMCs are expected to work normally.

The Saheli Card was formally launched by President of India Draupadi Murmu and Chief Minister of Delhi Rekha Gupta on 2 March 2026.

A list of outlets where eligible women can apply for the Saheli Card is available on the DTC website. Given that the list includes multiple pass counters at various depots of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), it can be assumed that non-Saheli cards would be available there too. It would also be wise to assume that the cards would work on Cluster Buses operated by the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS).

However, the DTC has not given a final date on the rollout for NCMCs or notified whether NCMCs are currently accepted on buses. The DTC, in a statement has said that “After a reasonable period, once it is assessed that most eligible women have received the Pink Saheli Smart Cards, the Delhi government will gradually replace the existing Pink Paper Ticket system with the Smart Card-based system to ensure greater transparency, efficiency, and convenience in public transport.”

Further, DTC and DIMTS are not yet listed on the Live Projects section on the website of the National Payments Corporation of India.

Featured Image: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta holds the Saheli NCMC

Loading

Flattr this!