It is a prepaid card that you load with money and use for metro and bus travel as well as normal payments. The card has a chip and a contactless "tap" sign on the front, so you can just tap it instead of swiping or inserting it.

The Singara Chennai Card is designed mainly for Chennai’s public transport network:

• Chennai Metro Rail - Fully supported; tap at entry/exit gates for fare deduction

• MTC Buses - Conductors’ ticketing machines accept NCMC tap‑and‑pay for quick ticketing

• Metro Parking - NCMC cards can be used for parking payments at Chennai Metro lots

You can apply for a Singara Chennai Card by visiting any CMRL Metro station ticket counter, requesting the card, and filling out a simple application form submitted to the operator. 

Steps:

• Visit your nearest Chennai Metro Rail (CMRL) station.

• Go to the Ticket Counter and request a Singara Chennai Card.

• Fill in the simple Application Form provided at the counter.

• Submit the form to the operator and receive your card immediately.

This process does not require full KYC at the time of issue; the card is issued as a Minimum Details (Small PPI) card.

The card itself is free, but you pay 1.8% on every top up, Rs 100 for a replacement, and merchant surcharges at places like petrol pumps, hotels, and some restaurants. .

• Card issuance: Free - no joining fee.

• Annual fee: None - the card stays free year after year.

• Top‑up fee: 1.8% of the amount you load onto the card.

  • Example: If you top up Rs 1,000, the fee is Rs 18.

• Replacement card: Rs 100 if the card is lost or damaged.

• Shop payments: No charge for normal retail transactions.

• Surcharges at specific merchants:

  • Petrol pumps

  • Hotels

  • Some restaurants
    These merchants often add a 1-3% surcharge, which is deducted from your card balance. This is common across India and is not unique to your card.

Anyone with a mobile number can get an NCMC Singara Chennai Card in Chennai, because the basic transit version requires only OTP verification and no documents. Anyone can upgrade their basic card to full KYC by visiting designated SBI branches listed in the results. Full KYC is required within 24 months of issue for continued reloading.

If you want higher limits or ATM withdrawal capability, you must upgrade to Full KYC at one of SBI’s designated branches listed in the official SBI page. SBI states that customers must fill the KYC conversion form at the branch.

To complete Full KYC, you will need the standard documents used for SBI KYC (inferred from typical bank KYC requirements, since the page lists the process but not the document list):

• Aadhaar card (identity + address proof)

• PAN card (mandatory for full KYC prepaid instruments)

• One passport-size photograph

• Completed KYC conversion form (provided at the branch)

Minimum Details (Small PPI) cards must be converted to Full KYC within 24 months, or you will not be able to add more money to the card (though you can still use the remaining balance).

You can recharge the Singara Chennai Card at metro station counters/kiosks, through SBI or IOB online portals, via UPI/BBPS apps, or by scanning the QR code on the card, and then update the balance to the offline wallet if required. 

• Metro Stations (CMRL) - Counters and kiosks accept cash, UPI, debit/credit cards for top‑ups

• SBI Prepaid Portal - Recharge online at prepaid.sbi.bank.in

• BBPS Apps - Recharge through PhonePe, BHIM, SBI Unipay and other BBPS-enabled apps

• Minimum top-up - Rs 10, in multiples of Rs 10

• Maximum balance - Rs 2,000 offline wallet limit

You can check your Singara Chennai Card balance using an NFC-enabled phone, MTC/Metro ETM machines, or through IOB’s official NCMC app/portal.

Global Balance (Offline / Transit Balance)

• Stored directly on the card’s EMV chip

• Used for transit payments: Chennai Metro, MTC buses, and other NCMC-enabled travel systems

• Deducted instantly when you tap the card on Metro gates or MTC bus ETMs

• Works offline, meaning the card does not need network connectivity for fare deduction.

• Replacement rules confirm that offline transactions are reconciled from the global balance when a card is replaced

Host Balance (Online / Retail Balance)

• Stored on SBI’s backend server (not on the card chip)

• Used for non-transit transactions:

  • Retail shopping

  • E‑commerce payments

  • ATM withdrawals (only for full‑KYC cards)

• Requires online authorization, so it behaves like a typical prepaid card balance.

If your metro card is lost or stolen, block it immediately using the SBI toll‑free numbers 1800‑1234 or 1800‑2100, a metro counter, or your customer portal, then request a replacement so your balance can be transferred to the new card. 

The call centre will ask a few questions to make sure it is really you before they block the card. You can also block it from the customer portal. 

Later, ask for a replacement at a metro ticket counter, or at designated SBI branches if it is a full KYC card. The balance in your metro (global) wallet is moved to the new card within 7 working days.