Eraaya Lifespaces’ Flagship Subsidiary Ebix Technologies Limited Partners with NSDL Payments Bank to Launch India’s First Statewide NCMC Smartcard Programme for Concessionaires
April 08: For millions of senior citizens, students, women, and persons with disabilities who depend on Maharashtra’s vast bus network every day, paying for public transport just got simpler, smarter, and more dignified. Ebix Technologies Limited, a flagship subsidiary of Eraaya Lifespaces Limited and a leader in digital transit and financial technology, has formally launched a landmark National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) programme for the Maharashtra State Road Transport
Corporation (MSRTC), in partnership with NSDL Payments Bank. The programme was inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in the presence of Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Ajit Pawar, Cabinet Minister for Transport Pratap Sarnaik, and other members of the Maharashtra Cabinet.
This is the country’s first statewide NCMC rollout designed exclusively for concessionaires, bringing over 50 concessional categories under a single interoperable digital payment ecosystem for the very first time. Valued at hundreds of crores of rupees, the programme replaces fragmented, paper – based concession processes with a seamless, Aadhaar-linked digital experience, ensuring subsidies reach the right people, transparently and efficiently, every time they board a bus.
With a fleet of over 16,000 buses carrying more than 13 crore passengers monthly across Maharashtra’s cities, towns, and remote tribal regions, MSRTC is one of India’s most expansive and socially vital public transport systems, making it the ideal setting for a programme of this ambition.
Programme Highlights
The programme guarantees a minimum of 70 lakh NCMC cards in Year 1, scaling to over 2 crore cards statewide, distributed across 3,000 dedicated retail outlets and every MSRTC depot and bus station. The interoperable RuPay Prepaid Platinum cards deliver a genuine tap-and-go experience across multiple modes of transport, making everyday commuting not just easier, but truly connected.
Beyond Maharashtra, the significance is national. India operates over 150 state road transport undertakings serving hundreds of crore passenger journeys annually, and the architecture built here is ready to travel. Every state with a concessional public transport programme is a candidate for replication, and the total addressable opportunity runs into thousands of crores of rupees. What begins in Maharashtra today could define how India moves tomorrow.
This launch reflects Eraaya Lifespaces’ broader commitment, to build technology platforms that do not merely process transactions, but serve people, advance policy, and create lasting public value.
