{"id":1300421,"date":"2025-09-19T08:56:16","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T03:26:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/?p=1300421"},"modified":"2025-09-19T08:56:58","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T03:26:58","slug":"5-mandatory-annual-fare-hike-proposed-for-namma-metro-in-bengaluru","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/5-mandatory-annual-fare-hike-proposed-for-namma-metro-in-bengaluru\/","title":{"rendered":"5% Mandatory Annual Fare Hike Proposed For Namma Metro In Bengaluru"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In February, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) raised Namma Metro fares steeply by up to 71%, making it the costliest metro system in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"5%<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The fare hike, approved based on the fare fixation committee\u2019s (FFC) recommendations, set the base fare at \u20b910 and the maximum at \u20b990.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FFC also suggested that Metro fares be automatically revised every year using a formula to ensure financial stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Annual Metro Fare Revisions Proposed to Safeguard Financial Stability<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until the next FFC is constituted, the committee advised that fares be increased annually by 5%. If BMRCL accepts this<\/a>, the next hike would be in February 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For seven months, BMRCL refused to make the FFC report public, even rejecting RTI applications, until the matter reached the high court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Thursday, BMRCL finally released the report, which revealed that it had originally sought a 105% fare hike, equivalent to a 14.02% annual increase over 7.5 years, proposing a base fare of \u20b921 and a maximum of \u20b9123.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In its submission to the FFC, BMRCL said it had been incurring losses for consecutive years, and without fare hikes, the growing principal and interest payments would create major financial challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BMRCL\u2019s financial records showed losses of \u20b9641 crore in 2019\u201320, which increased to \u20b9905 crore in 2020\u201321 due to the pandemic, before reducing to \u20b9627 crore in 2023\u201324.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The corporation needs \u20b9775 crore to meet projected principal and interest payments in 2025\u201326, a figure expected to rise sharply to \u20b92,776 crore by 2029\u201330.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last fare revision before 2025 had taken place in 2017, meaning fares had remained unchanged for 7.5 years despite rising operational expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FFC cited rising costs of energy, staff salaries, maintenance, and financial liabilities to justify recommending a 51.5% fare hike, which translates to an average annual increase of 6.87%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report further recommended that future FFCs should be constituted every three years instead of waiting for long gaps like the 7.5-year interval this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public consultation on the fare revision was conducted in October 2024, where the FFC received 843 email responses and 283 via WhatsApp, totaling 1,126 suggestions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Analysis of the feedback showed that 27% of commuters supported a reasonable fare hike, while 51% opposed any increase at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some suggestions included introducing monthly and student passes, offering free travel on Sundays and holidays, and enhancing operational aspects like train frequency, seating facilities at stations, and timely project completion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specific Public Demands and FFC Response<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specific public demands and the FFC\u2019s responses included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n