Amid uncertainty over Hyderabad Metro Rail’s Phase-2 expansion, a positive development has emerged with L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad (L&TMRH) set to launch the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC).

The interoperable smart card, enabling seamless travel across metro systems nationwide, is currently undergoing trials on all three operational corridors — the Red Line (L.B. Nagar–Miyapur), Blue Line (Nagole–Raidurg) and Green Line (JBS–MGBS) — spanning 69.2 km in the twin cities.

Already in use in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, the NCMC initially faced limited recharge options in those cities, which authorities termed teething issues. In Hyderabad, demand for its introduction has been high, particularly after an earlier government plan for unified ticketing across RTC, MMTS and Metro did not materialise.

According to officials, NCMC’s stored value supports offline transactions across multiple transit modes, reducing financial risks for stakeholders. However, it remains unclear if it will extend to MMTS trains, RTC buses, parking or retail outlets in Hyderabad. Existing metro smart cards will continue to be accepted, though whether they will be issued to new applicants remains undecided.

The rollout may also pave the way for open-loop ticketing, allowing passengers to use existing debit or credit cards for travel. Powered by the RuPay platform, NCMC was conceptualised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).