Nagpur: With the Nagpur Metro Rail expected to chug off on its trial run sometime this month, commuters are in for a major facility – Common Mobility Card “Mahacard” by which commuters can hop on to city buses and metro trains without buying separate tickets to reach their destinations. This multipurpose card has been named as “Mahacard.” The dedication of this card is likely to take place simultaneously with the trial run of Nagpur Metro Rail by the end of August or sooner.
A State Bank of India (SBI)-led consortium has won Mahametro’s bid for providing Common Mobility Card for Metro Rail, feeder services and Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC’s) Aapli Bus service and even shopping at major centres. Such kind of cards are being used in Kochi Metro but the Common Mobility Card (CMC) of Nagpur Metro would have far more facilities. A plan is afoot to connect the card to the companies providing auto and taxi services. Mahametro is in talks with auto unions and mobile taxi service companies. If a scheme works out, payment facility could also be on offer at the upcoming shops at Metro stations.
The commuters using the Common Mobility Card will not have to pay cash for buying tickets. In addition CMC can be used as a ATM cum debit card. SBI will incur the entire expenditure for providing the card to the commuters and the associated infrastructure. The commuters will be saved from hassles of buying tickets every day. This card can be used for payment of bills of utilities like water, power, telephone, etc. It can also be used for shopping.
The first trial of Nagpur Metro Rail is expected this month on 5.8 km of ground level stretch or at an At-grade section.
