Imagine carrying just one card that works everywhere: no separate MetroCards, no cash hassles, and no repeated ticket queues. That idea of a single smart travel solution is now becoming a reality in India’s transport system. In a major boost for hassle-free commuting across India, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has joined hands with Airtel Payments Bank to introduce a new co-branded RuPay ‘On-The-Go’ card powered by the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) system.
This strategic partnership aims to transform the way Indians travel by enabling one unified card for metro rides, bus journeys, and other public transport services nationwide. The launch was formally announced on Sunday at a ceremony held at Delhi Metro headquarters. The event was attended by DMRC Managing Director Vikas Kumar, Airtel Payments Bank MD & CEO Anubrata Biswas, and senior officials from both organisations.
NCMC card can be used across cities
Unlike the current DMRC cards that work only within the Delhi Metro network, these new cards offer true pan-India interoperability. Commuters will now be able to use the same card seamlessly in different cities and across multiple modes of public transport, marking a significant step towards modernising urban mobility in the country.
The initiative strongly supports the Government of India’s ‘One Nation, One Card’ vision, which seeks to simplify transit payments and reduce dependency on multiple ticketing systems.
DMRC’s Principal Executive Director (Corporate Communications), Anuj Dayal, highlighted that this new card represents a major upgrade for daily travellers. He confirmed that both debit card and prepaid mass transit variants will be available to the public at all Delhi Metro stations within the next 10 days.
Users will also enjoy the convenience of digital recharges anytime through the DMRC app or the Airtel Payments Bank app, eliminating the need to stand in long queues at ticket counters. Existing DMRC cards will continue to operate normally, ensuring no disruption for current users.
How will the new ‘on-the-go’ NCMC card work?
The newly launched cards include Debit Cards and PPI-MTS (Prepaid Payment Instrument for Mass Transit Systems) cards. They are based on RuPay and follow the NCMC system, which allows a single card to work across multiple transport networks in India. This means commuters will no longer need separate MetroCards for different cities or systems. One card can now be used for the Delhi Metro, buses, and other approved transit services across the country. For commuters, this smooths daily travel by enabling quick tap-in and tap-out at metro gates and bus terminals, reducing queue wait times and avoiding the hassle of recharging multiple travel cards.
New card will allow easy online recharging for smooth travel
One of the biggest benefits of these new cards for commuters is that they make travel payments simple and fully digital. Now, passengers will not have to stand in long queues at metro stations just to recharge their cards. Instead, they can quickly add money anytime through the DMRC app or the Airtel app on their phone. This will save time and make daily travel much more convenient. In addition, these cards will be available at all DMRC stations within the next 10 days, making it easy for passengers to get them without any hassle.