The Bengaluru Metro’s decision to launch one-day and three-day passes have not received the response the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) expected.
In a major policy change, the passes were introduced on Ugadi, April 2, as a last resort to increase daily ridership. BMRCL said they would also refund unclaimed amounts on online smart cards.
The Namma Metro had recorded an average daily ridership of 2.97 lakh riders for the month of February 2022, far below the pre-COVID levels when officials counted 4.5 lakh riders every day.
The table below shows the numbers of one-day and three-day passes sold after its launch on April 2, according to BMRCL records -
| Day | No. of one-day passes sold | No. of three-day passes sold |
| April 2 | 41 | 3 |
| April 3 | 44 | 1 |
| April 4 | 40 | 6 |
| April 5 | 13 | 4 |
The one-day passes are priced at Rs. 200, while the three-day passes are priced at Rs. 400. These passes will allow commuters unlimited travel in Namma Metro's 56 kilometre-long network and will be valid starting from the date of purchase. Commuters will need to pay a refundable security deposit of Rs. 50 for both of the passes.
The average weekday Metro ridership is 3.6-3.7 lakh currently and reports said BMRCL officials are hoping that these passes will gain popularity in the coming days. BMRCL has started promoting the passes by putting up displays inside trains and stations about their availability at Metro counters.
{{/usCountry}}The average weekday Metro ridership is 3.6-3.7 lakh currently and reports said BMRCL officials are hoping that these passes will gain popularity in the coming days. BMRCL has started promoting the passes by putting up displays inside trains and stations about their availability at Metro counters.
{{/usCountry}}“I use the normal smartcards. Passes would be more useful, like the one-day passes for bus, for those who travel more than 4 times in a day. Maybe monthly passes or senior citizens passes will work better because the normal cards are very convenient for all presently. Now we have the app and can recharge it and use for very long,” said Shraddha Pai, a frequent metro commuter and a student in Bengaluru.
“I would buy and use the one-day pass if I had to take a friend all around the city in a day, otherwise smartcards are more convenient,” she said.
According to reports, BMRCL officials have maintained that there are no immediate plans to launch monthly passes.