A single rechargeable pre-paid card would soon allow commuters across the country to travel by various modes of transport without the hassle of buying separate tickets, an official said Saturday.

The 'Common Mobility Card' would be launched Dec 6 by Minister of Urban Development Kamal Nath at the Urban Mobility India (UMI) conference-cum-exhibition here.

The rechargeable pre-paid card aims to assist in reducing fraud, cash-handling and paper ticket costs and would initially be introduced on government buses and metros. Private modes of transport like autorickshaws and taxis would also be roped in soon.

'The card will allow passengers across various cities to travel hassle-free by bus, metro, taxi and autorickshaw,' officer on special duty (urban transport) in the urban development ministry, Sanjeev Kumar Lohia told IANS.

'We are in talks with DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corp) and DTC (Delhi Transport Corp) and will soon rope in the private operators as well,' he added.

According to Lohia, the rechargeable card works on the same principle as the Delhi Metro card.

'The only difference is that this new card will have an 'auto top up' option wherein those who opt for it will get their cards connected to their bank accounts and won't get stuck due to low balance,' said Lohia.

The card could also be used to pay traffic fines, tolls and parking fees.

The UMI is an annual event of the urban development ministry and is a platform for the exchange of information and ideas on sustainable mobility.

IANS