Bengal Metro commuters raise questions over unused balance on smart cards as NCMC adoption grows

Commuters say they cannot transfer the remaining balance to the NCMC card or get a refund as long as the existing smart card is still valid and usable. | Photo credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN

As more passengers switch to the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) after its adoption in Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses, questions are being raised about the unused balance on the existing Namma Metro smart cards.

Commuters who have used traditional metro smart cards for years said they were unable to transfer the remaining balance to the NCMC card or get a refund while the existing smart card was still valid and usable.

Prakash HS, a commuter from Jayanagara who recently switched to an NCMC card for greater convenience in public transport systems, said he tried to recover the balance on his old metro smart card but was told by Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) staff that no refund or transfer was possible until the card was usable.

“This creates a practical problem for passengers who want to completely switch to NCMC cards. In their case, the remaining balance could not be fully utilized as the fare for a regular journey was around ₹67 while the card required a minimum balance of ₹90,” he said.

Another commuter, Swathi Nayak from Dasarahalli, said, “The minimum recharge amount is ₹50, which makes it difficult to use the remaining balance accurately without doing additional recharges or leaving unused amount on the card.”

As a result, Ms. Nayak estimated that around ₹30 may remain unused, in addition to the ₹50 paid initially for the smart card, which is considered non-refundable.

While the amount may be relatively small, commuters have argued that the issue relates to the principle of retaining unused passengers’ money when they switch to a newer and more widely applicable payment system.

Meanwhile, BMRCL officials said they will look into the issue and rectify it. However, they did not respond to questions about the corrective measures taken in this matter.

Published – 18 Oct 2026 20:22 IST