NPCI & MTC brings RuPay On-The-Go to bolster mobility across Chennai

By Gloria Mathias

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has partnered with the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC), Chennai’s public bus service, to integrate RuPay On-The-Go, a contactless payment solution for transit.

This integration allows commuters in Chennai to seamlessly travel between Chennai Metro on MTC buses and use Chennai Metro parking facilities with a single card. This initiative addresses common commuter issues such as long queues, the need for exact change, and complex ticketing processes.

RuPay On-The-Go, launched under the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) program, simplifies public transit across multiple cities in India. It offers travellers a seamless, hassle-free, and contactless experience on metros and buses with a single card, marked by the distinctive RuPay contactless symbol. The card’s stored value ticketing allows users to load funds and use them across various transit modes.

Additionally, the card supports offline transactions, making it perfect for use in metro tunnels and on moving buses, even without internet connectivity. This widespread RuPay On-The-Go implementation positions Chennai as a city with a multi-modal transit system. It allows commuters to use their existing RuPay contactless debit, credit, or prepaid cards, fostering convenience and efficiency.

This efficient transit system will benefit over 3.2 million daily commuters of Chennai MTC1. The MTC Singara Chennai One City One Card can be used on the Chennai Metro Rail (CMRL) and the MTC bus network.

“With the integration of the RuPay On-The-Go card across the MTC bus network, Chennai is taking a significant step towards a smarter, more efficient urban mobility ecosystem. This unified payment solution allows commuters to use a single, contactless card across multiple modes such as buses, metros, and parking facilities, making everyday travel faster, more convenient, and entirely cashless,” said Kunal Kalawatia, Chief of Products, NPCI.

“This partnership marks a transformative milestone for Chennai’s public transit system. By integrating the RuPay On-The-Go card across MTC buses and Chennai metro, we are offering our passengers a seamless multi-modal travel experience. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this will have on the lives of Chennai’s residents.” said Dr Alby John Varghese, Managing Director of MTC Chennai.