SBI partners with MMRDA to digitise transit systems across the country

By Leandra Monteiro

SBI, the country’s largest lender, has partnered with MMRDA for providing NCMC-based ticketing solutions for the recently commissioned Mumbai metro lines 2A and 7.

Issuance of “Mumbai1” card to the commuters commenced from 20/01/2023. Earlier the Mumbai Metro Card “Mumbai1” was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi along with inauguration of the MMRDA line 2A and 7 on 19th January 2023.

SBI is the exclusive issuer of NCMC cards on MMRDA lines 2A and 7. The Acquiring solution will be provided through SBI Payments, the merchant acquiring subsidiary of SBI. It will facilitate seamless commuting experience through an array of digital payments including NCMC (National Common Mobility Card), QR and POS. It is expected that about ten lac commuters will opt for the card as this would make their daily commuting much convenient. MMRDA has announced 5% discount on the fare for “Mumbai1” card holders.

By implementing the acquiring infrastructure compliant with National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) guidelines, the transit system provides an efficient interoperability facilitating digital payments for metro tickets, retail, parking etc. through a single card.

Dinesh Khara, Chairman, State Bank of India, stated, “The partnership between SBI and MMRDA will improve the customer experience and is aligned to the national vision of “One Nation One Card”. In the present scenario, handling of low-value – high-volume ticketing transactions is a big challenge for any public transport operator. SBI has specialization and experience in managing the digital ticketing by bringing innovative digital payment solutions and has transformed the transit payment landscape. Its forward-looking transit offerings are enabling a whole new experience for users while furthering the agenda of Digital India. These initiatives have been in tandem with SBI’s commitment to promoting sustainable and user-friendly banking services.”

The valuable partnership with MMRDA will open new doors for NCMC-based digital ticketing solution and extend the services to the upcoming metro lines in Mumbai. With this experience, SBI is also looking forward to implementing NCMC-based ticketing solutions in State Road Transport buses.