Why Bangaloreans aren't happy with Namma Metro's one-day and three-day passes

The Namma Metro's most recent venture, the daily one-day and three-day passes have brought minimal buyers so far.

Published on: Apr 6, 2022, 14:35:51 IST

By Yamini C S

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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.

Bengaluru Metro's daily passes offer with unlimited travel have minimal buyers so far. (Twitter/MelbinMathew21)

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.

“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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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