Karnataka CM directs BMRCL to review anomalies in metro fares
The directive follows rising public discontent after BMRCL announced a fare revision that raised ticket prices by up to 50% in February
Bengaluru: Review and reduce metro fares where increases are deemed excessive, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday instructed Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) , following rising public discontent over a fare revision that raised ticket prices by up to 50% in February.
While some commuters reported fare hikes of over 100% on certain routes, many took to social media to protest, with many calling for a boycott of the city’s metro services. The BMRC operates two metro lines covering over 75km.
“The way Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has implemented the Namma Metro fare revision has led to anomalies, with fares more than doubling in certain sections,” Siddaramaiah said in a statement on X on Thursday.
He added, “I have asked the BMRCL managing director Maheshwar Rao to urgently address these issues and reduce fares where increases are abnormal. Commuters’ interests must be safeguarded.”
Rao clarified on Thursday that while metro fares would not be revised completely, adjustments would be made by merging certain fare stages. “There is a method for increasing the metro fare. The fare has been increased on the basis of the study and recommendation made by the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC). The adjustments will be made stage by stage, particularly where fare increases have been 45-50% or higher,” Rao said.
Also Read: Bengaluru residents call for ‘metro boycott’ amid steep fare hike by BMRCL
The BMRCL conducted an internal review of the pricing model, analysing data over two days of deliberations. “The BMRCL, to articulate the grievances of its commuters with regard to 100% or more fare increase in their daily commutation, deliberated for 2 days’ of day and night, have revisited the fare matrix to again study the recommendations of FFC and find out the best possible way within the ambit of FFC and without violating the statute to address the grievances of commuters,” it said in a statement on Thursday evening.
The revised fare structure, which came into effect on February 9, marked the first increase since June 2017, averaging a 51.55% hike before discounts and around 45-46% after discounts. However, commuters have reported far greater increases. For instance, the fare for a 6.7-km ride between MG Road and Baiyappanahalli has surged from ₹20 to ₹40, though ideally, it should not have exceeded ₹30.
The passengers also raised concerns over the increased minimum top-up requirement for smart cards, which was raised from ₹50 to ₹90. A frequent commuter pointed out that previously the minimum balance was ₹50 when the maximum fare was ₹60. A BMRCL official explained that passengers must have sufficient balance to cover the maximum fare to avoid recharging at exit stations.
According to BMRCL data, after the recent revision, the metro fare system now includes 4,623 fare combinations, of which over 600 slabs saw an increase of 80-100%. The corporation is now working to rationalise these slabs, which could lead to a fare reduction of 15-35% in the affected sections.
However, Rao confirmed that commuters who had already paid the inflated fares over the past four days would not receive any refunds. “The fares at the stations where the fares have doubled will be merged. This will provide some relief to the passengers,” he said, adding that efforts will be made to merge slabs where fare hikes exceeded 60%.
The BMRCL statement added that these adjustments are being carried out without compromising the recommendations of the FFC, which operates under the Metro Railway (Operations & Maintenance) Act. “This is being done without diluting the integrity and spirit of the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) as per the Metro Railway (Operations & Maintenance) Act, which makes the recommendations binding on the Metro Rail Administration,” the BMRCL said.