Siddaramaiah calls on Bangalore Metro to reduce fares after ‘abnormal’ hike

Under fire over the fare hike for the Namma Bengaluru Metro, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah appealed to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on 13 February, Thursday, to reduce the fares.

Following the price hike, the Namma Metro ridership was reduced by about 80,000 in the city.

Chief minister Siddaramaiah stated, "The way Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has implemented the Bengaluru Metro fare revision has led to anomalies, with fares more than doubling in certain sections."

He further stated, "I have asked the MD of BMRCL to urgently address these issues and reduce fares where increases are abnormal. Commuters' interests must be safeguarded."

Last Saturday, 8 February, the BMRCL announced a revision of metro ticket prices. The official statement by the BMRCL stated that the new ticket prices are fixed at:

• Rs 10 for 0–2 km;

• Rs 20 for 2–4 km;

• Rs 30 for 4–6 km;

• Rs 40 for 6–8 km;

• Rs 50 for 8–10 km;

• Rs 60 for 10–15 km;

• Rs 70 for 15–20 km;

• Rs 80 for 20–25 km;

• and Rs 90 for 25–30 km.

For over 30 km, the ticket price remains Rs 90.

Demanding immediate rollback of the fare hike, a BJP delegation also met with Metro MD M. Maheshwar Rao on Monday, 10 February, describing it as the steepest metro fare hike in the country.

Bengaluru MLA Ravi Subramanya criticised the state government for burdening the public with multiple price hikes and increasing metro fares by 46 per cent. He also insisted that essential facilities should be provided at metro stations.

"The Metro is meant for the public. Prioritising profits is not the right approach. The project was implemented to ease Bengaluru's traffic congestion, and even the central government has provided financial aid for it. The fare increase is unfair," he stated.

Earlier, Siddaramaiah had slammed the opposition BJP, charging that the party was misleading the public by spreading distorted information.

‘Since 2017, metro fares have not been revised. Recognising this, BMRCL had written to the central government requesting fare revisions. If the state government had full authority over metro fares, why would BMRCL write to the central government instead of addressing the state government directly?’ chief minister Siddaramaiah had asked.