Following widespread criticism of the steep increase in metro fares, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) officials said they would review the concerns regarding anomalies in the revised fare structure.
Officials stated they would assess ridership data and take into account commuter feedback, as several passengers have reported disproportionately high fare increases for certain travel stages.
The fare revision, which came into effect on February 9, has sparked a wave of complaints from metro users. BMRCL officials confirmed they had received numerous grievances regarding the hike.
“We have been receiving a large number of complaints since the revised fares were introduced. Many commuters have pointed out significant fare jumps on specific routes, and we will carefully analyse the data to understand these discrepancies. A review will be conducted to ensure that the fare revision is reasonable and justified,” a senior BMRCL official said.
BMRCL cited Section 37 of the Metro Railway Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Act, 2002, which states that recommendations made by the Fare Fixation Committee are binding on the metro administration. However, many people have pointed out that in 2021, the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Edappadi K. Palaniswami, reduced the maximum fare on Chennai Metro from ₹70 to ₹50, despite the fare committee’s recommendations.
With the latest revision, metro in Bengaluru now has the highest fares in the country. Although its network spans only 76 km, the maximum fare has been increased to ₹90 for distances beyond 25 km. In contrast, Delhi Metro, which operates a 353 km network, charges only ₹60 for journeys exceeding 32 km.
Many commuters have expressed frustration, stating that fares on certain routes have increased by 50% to 75%, significantly impacting their daily travel expenses. Several passengers have taken to social media and other platforms to highlight the financial burden caused by the steep hike, urging authorities to reconsider the decision.
Protest by Mahila Congress
The Karnataka Pradesh Mahila Congress staged a protest at Jayanagar Metro Station on Tuesday criticising the BJP over the recent metro fare hike in Bengaluru. Karnataka Mahila Congress president Sowmya Reddy, who led the protest, accused the BJP of misleading the public about the fare hike.
She pointed out that the Union Railway Ministry had approved the fare hike during a meeting on January 17. “The BJP is hiding the central government’s role in the fare revision. We urge them to clarify who is responsible for the metro fare increase,” Reddy said.
The protest comes days after BJP workers staged demonstrations at major metro stations across Bengaluru on February 10, criticising the fare increase and holding the state government accountable.
Issue raised in Lok Sabha
Bengaluru South BJP MP Tejasvi Surya raised the issue of Bengaluru metro fare hike in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Speaking during Zero Hour, he criticised the sharp increase in ticket prices, particularly for short-distance travel, where fares have reportedly doubled across several stations.
Mr. Surya said the fare hike has made Bengaluru Metro the most expensive metro network in the country, defeating its purpose as an affordable public transport option. “I urge authorities to reconsider the fare structure and implement a more reasonable pricing system to ensure accessibility for the common man,” he said in the Lok Sabha.
The MP also met with the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs to discuss the issue. He called for immediate intervention to rectify inconsistencies in the new fare system.
