Bengaluru: 250 Electronics City employees receive Rs 1,500 metro incentives via Orbit Wallet RuPay Cards; more companies to join

Employees of Electronics City Industries Association (ELCIA) member companies can now use NCMC-compliant Orbit Wallet RuPay prepaid cards for Metro travel, shopping, and other everyday payments.

The cards were launched jointly by ELCIA, Toyota Mobility Foundation, and WRI India, with support from BMRCL and BMTC, under the Station Access and Mobility Program (STAMP): Nudging Commuter Behaviour.

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The initiative, launched on World Public Transport Day, aims to promote greater use of public transport, particularly along the Namma Metro Yellow Line, through behavioural science and tech-driven interventions.

The incentive is available for the first 250 employees. Each employee receives Rs 750 preloaded on the card and an additional Rs 750 as cashback based on Metro usage. For example, an employee traveling from Electronics City to Jayanagar pays around Rs 45 per trip during non-peak hours after discounts and cashback. Metro offers 10 percent discounts for non-peak travel and 5 percent during peak hours. With cashback, the effective travel cost drops to Rs 40 for non-peak and Rs 42.50 for peak hour trips.

Orbit Wallet, one of the winners of the STAMP Nudge Challenge, has designed the cards specifically for ELCIA employees.

“Many companies reimburse fuel, parking, and driver expenses, but the same benefits can be extended to employees using public transport. Through Orbit Wallet, corporates can directly deposit travel reimbursements for those commuting by Metro and bus, rewarding sustainable choices,” said Shikha Chouksey, co-founder, Orbit Wallet.

Pras Ganesh, executive program director, Toyota Mobility Foundation, said, “Through the STAMP Nudge Challenge and the Orbit Wallet pilot, we are demonstrating how incentives, digital tools, and partnerships can shift everyday commutes toward public transport.”

“By introducing Orbit Wallet cards, we hope to create a scalable model replicable across other employment hubs in Bengaluru,” said a representative of ELCIA.

Srinivas Alavilli, fellow, Integrated Transport, WRI India, added, “The Nudge Challenge aims to introduce innovative incentive mechanisms for Electronics City employees to switch to public transport.”

STAMP Innovation Challenge, launched on April 11, 2025, invited startups and tech firms to co-develop scalable interventions to boost Metro ridership, especially for last-mile connectivity. The challenge focused on gamification, real-time nudges, and inclusive access to improve affordability, safety, and convenience, with finalists receiving mentorship, financial support, and guidance for pilot implementation.

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