Pune: Women can take the 50% concession on Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses without a National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) from November 7 to December 31, 2026, after Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced a relaxation of the card rule on Friday, November 6. Sarnaik also chairs MSRTC. The card becomes compulsory again from January 1, 2027.

Source: PuneRiPages (reporting The Free Press Journal)

What the card rule was

From October 1, 2026, MSRTC made the NCMC smart card compulsory for women and senior citizens claiming concession fares on ST buses. Women get a 50% fare concession on all types of ST buses under the state's Mahila Sanman Yojana. Many passengers, especially in rural areas, reported trouble registering, activating and recharging the card. About 1.10 crore NCMC cards have been registered and distributed so far, but many eligible women had still not completed the process.

A second report, citing Sakal, confirmed the relaxation from the depot level: Amol Kotkar, chief of MSRTC's Parner depot in Ahmednagar district, communicated that women passengers will be able to access the concession without an immediate smart-card requirement until December 31, 2026. The report described the move as a temporary easing to prevent disruption during the festive travel season, not a withdrawal of the smart-card system.

Source: Urban Acres (reporting Sakal)

50%Women's fare concession on ST buses
31 Dec 2026Relaxation ends; card rule returns Jan 1
1.10 croreNCMC cards registered so far
1 Oct 2026When the card was made compulsory

Why the rule was eased

The decision followed requests from social organisations, public representatives and party leaders during the festival season, Deshdoot reported. MSRTC's average daily earnings fell from about Rs 33 crore in September to about Rs 28 crore in October, according to The Free Press Journal and Civic Mirror; MSRTC has not officially said the card rule caused the drop. MSRTC will hold special NCMC registration camps at gram panchayat level with local representatives and passenger groups so more women can complete registration before the deadline.

Senior citizens: not yet clarified

The October 1 rule covered both women and senior citizens, but the relaxation announcements reported so far speak only of women. MSRTC has not clarified whether senior citizens are covered, and it has not specified which ID conductors will ask women to show during the relaxation period. Senior citizens are advised to check at their depot before travelling.

What happens next: the relaxation runs through the Diwali and year-end travel rush and ends on December 31, 2026. From January 1, 2027, women will again need an NCMC card to claim the concession, so passengers without a card are being urged to register at an ST depot or a gram panchayat camp before the deadline.