NCMC: A Step Forward, But Still a Long Way to Go

[parthv]

I recently got my RBL IRCTC Credit Card with NCMC (National Common Mobility Card) enabled, excited about the convenience it promised. Finally, I had a card that could be used on metro systems, eliminating the need to repeatedly pay reloading fees. While recharging the card was simple, I was shocked when I tried to sync it with the Pune Metro system—it displayed an error: "Unauthorized issuer."

After some digging, I discovered that a handful of metro systems in India have entered into exclusive agreements with specific banks. These exclusivity deals hinder the free-market spirit and significantly limit the utility of NCMC-enabled cards, making them less practical than intended.

For instance, a NCMC Card issued in Pune can be used seamlessly in non-exclusive systems like New Delhi, Chennai or Bengaluru but not the other way around as card issued by banks of the systems can't be used in Pune due to exclusive agreement with HDFC which makes card of other banks invalid for use in Pune and every person has to buy ticket or buy the card, like older days.

While the idea of NCMC is rather aimed at flexibility and convenience, its current execution needs improvement. Without a robust infrastructure or widespread compatibility across cities, such systems are more frustrating than convenient. Such exclusive partnerships essentially destroy the usability

You can see the distinction between exclusive and non-exclusive lines in the link below.

https://www.npci.org.in/what-we-do/rupay-contactless/live-members

 

[cardio_guy]

Same is the problem with Kochi Metro. You cannot use NCMC card here. Because Kochi metro don't have tie up with Rupay and NCMC.
Instead they have tied up with Axis Bank and Axis is issuing a prepaid Rupay platinum card. We need to recharge the card (online and offline) and use that card.
Funny thing is - the axis kochi metro prepaid rupay card can be used outside in any shop for any purchase because it is a Rupay card, but other way round - a rupay card with NCMC cannot be used in Kochi metro!

 

[Aniket]

Reason to bring:
One NATION, one TRANSIT card 💀 to bring convenience

Reality:
EXCLUSIVITY & INCONVENIENCE, is at peak! 🤡

Especially for:


Convenience wo kya hota hai? Card kho gaya toh ayesa system banaiye hain, paisa wapas nahi aayega, recharge bhi restricted payment mode and particular jagh se karka padega, balance update queue mein lag ke karwana padega...

Physical card carry karna hoga, app se virtually use karke contactless kaam nahi kar rakh saktein

Launch kar diya ab bhagwan bharose kaam hota rahega 🤡 👀

 

[telescope]

Reason to bring:
One NATION, one TRANSIT card 💀 to bring convenience

Reality:
EXCLUSIVITY & INCONVENIENCE, is at peak! 🤡

Especially for:
View attachment 76147

Convenience wo kya hota hai? Card kho gaya toh ayesa system banaiye hain, paisa wapas nahi aayega, recharge bhi restricted payment mode and particular jagh se karka padega, balance update queue mein lag ke karwana padega...

Physical card carry karna hoga, app se virtually use karke contactless kaam nahi kar rakh saktein

Launch kar diya ab bhagwan bharose kaam hota rahega 🤡 👀

I have been shouting on top of my lungs that this whole system of ncmc is inconvenient and poorly implemented. Instead of having a separate offline wallet within a cc/dc, it should have been like how it works in Singapore. That is, it should use the existing infrastructure of contact less payment of visa/mastercard/rupay so that we can tap-to-pay seamlessly any card anywhere. That would have been the most seamless and best way to go.

Same system is available at Bangkok MRT, Kuala Lumpur MRT and also few routes of GoKL buses.

You don't have to worry about separate recharges/balance, just tap and pay. Simple.
These ncmc folks are making a simple to implement system complicated for no reason.

 

[Ak Singh]

Same happened with me in Delhi metro.
I have rbl shoprite rupay ncmc.
I thought that you have just do top up ncmc wallet online and ready to go.
But you have to go metro station ticket counter and ask them to recharge. They will tap on their system then it will work.

Firstly, I tried directly but it didn't work then I contacted ticket counter person and he doesn't not know what is ncmc card and how it works. He asked his colleague and after multiple attempts my card recharge successful.
It is worst then metro card you can load metro card online and just go metro station tap machine and recharge self. But ncmc card doesn't work in tap machine.
You have to go ticket counter everytime and top up it.

 

[Aniket]

I have been shouting on top of my lungs that this whole system of ncmc is inconvenient and poorly implemented. Instead of having a separate offline wallet within a cc/dc, it should have been like how it works in Singapore. That is, it should use the existing infrastructure of contact less payment of visa/mastercard/rupay so that we can tap-to-pay seamlessly any card anywhere. That would have been the most seamless and best way to go.

Same system is available at Bangkok MRT, Kuala Lumpur MRT and also few routes of GoKL buses.

You don't have to worry about separate recharges/balance, just tap and pay. Simple.
These ncmc folks are making a simple to implement system complicated for no reason.

I agree:

We had discussed this earlier also.

Post in thread 'Lets talk about RuPay NCMC Card/ RuPay Metro Card & share your experience & help others'

Feb 4, 2024

Whole implementation of NCMC in India is flawed. Maintaining a separate wallet within the card for each metro/bus system for each city is annoying. On top of that, many executives at bus/metro stations don't know how to load NCMC card, and insists to use their own proprietary card. And honestly, those proprietary cards works better in most situations.

Singapore's metro has a much better system where tapping any NFC cc/dc completes the payment. When we can pay by tapping at shops, why not implement it for fare collection? IMO, it would be the most efficient use of tap-n-pay technology.

• telescope

• 

 

[Pissant]

Can someone here who has experience with Ahmedabad Metro please explain how to use NCMC?

I will be there for a month and my work route aligns with the Ahmedabad Metro so would like to use it. I have never used a NCMC Card and neither have I ever sat in the Ahmedabad Metro so completely unaware about how any of it works there.

 

[Aniket]

Same happened with me in Delhi metro.
I have rbl shoprite rupay ncmc.
I thought that you have just do top up ncmc wallet online and ready to go.
But you have to go metro station ticket counter and ask them to recharge. They will tap on their system then it will work.

Firstly, I tried directly but it didn't work then I contacted ticket counter person and he doesn't not know what is ncmc card and how it works. He asked his colleague and after multiple attempts my card recharge successful.
It is worst then metro card you can load metro card online and just go metro station tap machine and recharge self. But ncmc card doesn't work in tap machine.
You have to go ticket counter everytime and top up it.

The concerned entity could have utilized NFC as a tool for loading NCMC balances. This would have allowed customers to conveniently top up their balances using their NFC enabled devices, like Smartphone and all.

Now, they are working on it. 🤣
Don't know when it will get completed.

I don't why to build an infrastructure
to carry physical card, this is the age where contactless payment is ...

Future mein kaun hi card carry karega, future proof nahi banate pata nahi, harwakt outdated infrastructure/ technology leke

 

[vine]

Interesting!
So any metro card taken in Bengaluru, will it also work in Chennai, Mumbai, GJ metro, Delhi metro, Goa, Himachal, Haryana, J&K, UP, etc ??
But not in Hyderabad, Pune, Nagpur, Kochi, etc ??