Copyright thehindu
On World Public Transport Day on Monday, a new initiative promoting sustainable urban travel was launched with the introduction of the Orbit Wallet RuPay prepaid card for employees of Electronics City Industries’ Association (ELCIA) member companies. The National Common Mobility Card (NCMC)-compliant RuPay prepaid card aims to encourage public transport use by enabling commuters to pay seamlessly for metro, bus, and other eco-friendly transport modes. The project, part of the Station Access and Mobility Program (STAMP) – Nudging Commuter Behaviour, is a collaboration between Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF), WRI India, and ELCIA, supported by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC). All-in-one smart mobility card The card integrates transport, shopping, and digital payments into a single platform, offering employees a convenient and tech-driven solution for daily commutes. Shikha Chouksey, co-founder of Orbit Wallet, said, “Today, many companies support personal vehicle use through fuel reimbursements and parking benefits. Through Orbit Wallet’s smart cards, we’re enabling corporates to extend similar benefits to employees using metros and buses, rewarding sustainable commuting choices. We are beginning this initiative with the Yellow Line, bringing innovation and convenience to public transit through smart, interoperable payment solutions.” The Toyota Mobility Foundation emphasised that this collaboration highlights the importance of creating local partnerships to drive behavioural change in mobility. “Through the STAMP Nudge Challenge and the Orbit Wallet pilot, we are demonstrating how incentives, digital tools and strong local partnerships can shift everyday commutes toward public transport and improve quality of life in business districts like Electronics City,” said Pras Ganesh, executive programme director, TMF Model that can be replicated in other employment hubs The ELCIA representatives stated that improving public transport access is central to building a smarter, more sustainable business district. Srinivas Alavilli, fellow, Integrated Transport, WRI India, said, “The objective of the Nudge Challenge is to introduce innovative incentive mechanisms for employees of Electronics City to switch to public transport. The Orbit Wallet users in ELCIA will receive benefits of ₹1,500 to switch to Metro. We hope this inspires over 200 MSMEs in ELCIA to roll out these cards to their employees. We hope that the initiative will serve as a model that can be replicated in other employment hubs across Bengaluru.” Employees too have welcomed the initiative. Shreyas S., vice-president (Strategy and Growth) at ABI Health, based in Electronics City, told The Hindu, “There are huge benefits from this card for our colleagues. Two of my colleagues travel daily from as far as R.R. Nagar and Rajajinagar using multiple metro lines to reach office. For them, this card is extremely useful. The government should encourage such initiatives as they will help more people adopt public transport.” According to Mr. Alavilli, the initiative was launched as part of the STAMP Innovation Challenge that began in April 2025, the initiative combines gamification, digital nudges, and inclusive design to make public transport attractive and rewarding.
