The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has revised its controversial fare hike, capping the maximum increase at 71% instead of the previously planned 100%. The decision came after a strong public backlash and intervention from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who termed the original hike “abnormal.”
What Has Changed?
- Despite the revision, minimum and maximum fares remain ₹10 and ₹90.
- The revised fares will take effect from Friday, confirmed BMRCL MD M Maheshwar Rao.
- Around 46% of daily metro commuters (approx. 2.91 lakh passengers) will benefit from the revised structure.
- The hike is in line with the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) guidelines, as per the Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act.
CM Siddaramaiah’s Intervention
Following mounting criticism, Siddaramaiah directed BMRCL to rectify “excessive” fare hikes. He emphasized that the fare increase on some routes had more than doubled, impacting daily commuters. The Chief Minister stated that authorities must prioritize public interest and ensure fair pricing.
Impact on Metro Ridership
- Bengaluru Metro saw an 8-10% drop in ridership after the fare hike.
- On February 11, ridership stood at 8.28 lakh, compared to the earlier four-Monday average of 8.8 lakh.
- By February 13, ridership had fallen further to 7.62 lakh, significantly below the 8.67 lakh recorded on February 5.
Why Was the Hike Introduced?
This is the first fare revision in seven years. The FFC initially recommended a 105% hike, averaging 6.87% per year over seven-and-a-half years. However, BMRCL had proposed a 14% annual increase before discounts.
Conclusion
While the revised fare hike is lower than initially proposed, Bengaluru commuters continue to express concerns over rising public transport costs. With ridership already declining, it remains to be seen whether the metro authority will further reconsider its pricing strategy to encourage more usage.
