Madhya Pradesh Metro plan to introduce ‘one nation, one card’

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MPMRCL) has reinitiated the process of introducing one nation one card or National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), an interoperable transport card.
Simply put, the card could be used for various purposes, including public transport ticketing services, in Bhopal and Indore. As MPMRCL is starting from scratch, they have an advantage in implementing this system.Earlier, the city bus operator in Bhopal had found it difficult to implement the system.

The initiative was first proposed in October 2023 and again in February, this year, following the announcement by Bhopal City Link Limited (BCLL), a subsidiary of BMC. However, after discussions with financial institutions, BCLL was unable to secure PPP-mode participation and found transitioning to a new money transaction platform challenging, given their existing setup.
The MPMRCL proposal was valued at Rs 230 crore in October, while the BCLL proposal was estimated at around Rs 10 crore for a fleet of approximately 250 buses.
This week, MPMRCL has once again invited institutions to offer services related to the Open Loop NCMC, transaction acquiring and AFC integration.
The project aims to complete all works, including 57 stations in Indore and Bhopal, within 200 weeks, followed by a 364-week service period that includes defect liability and comprehensive maintenance.
The funding for this package is expected to come from the equity contributions of the Union govt and the state govt.
The NCMC and EMV cards, along with various payment portals, will serve as fare media and facilitate processing of transactions for merchants using debit/credit/prepaid card reader hardware or terminals.
Bhopal Metro Rail Project, designated as a National Priority City by the Union govt, has yet to begin passenger operations.
Metro rail projects in Bhopal and Indore aim to enhance both city’s public transport system, which currently is limited to buses, BRTS, autorickshaws, app cabs, and private rental taxi services.