After Public Outcry, Karnataka CM Asks Namma Metro To Reduce Fares

Last Sunday, BMRCL effected up to 50% hike in Namma Metro fares, triggering public ire with commuters expressing their anger on social media.

Bengaluru:Following public outrage over up to 50% increase in metro rail fares, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday asked the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation to reduce the metro rail fares where the hike is abnormal.

Siddaramaiah said on X that the way the BMRCL has implemented the fare revision has led to anomalies with fares doubling in certain sections. "I have asked the BMRCL to immediately reduce the fares where the hike is abnormal to safeguard the commuters' interests," he said.

The Metro effected the revised fares from last Sunday (January 9). The fare increase ranged from Rs 10 to Rs 90 as against the previous range of Rs 10 to Rs 60. Barring the base distance slab of Rs 10, it increased the fares on all distance slabs by Rs 5 to Rs 30. Though the BMRCL claimed the maximum hike was up to 50 percent, between some sections the hike is more than 50%. Those travelling long distances of 20km to 30km are the most hit as they have to shell out Rs 60 more day.

This has led to public anger with hundreds of Metro rail commuters expressing their anger on social media platforms over what they called the unscientific and unreasonable fare hike. Some even saw this steep hike as a conspiracy to drive away the working class and the poor from using metro rail to help hassle-free travel to the rich.

The issue has also resulted in a political blame game with the State Congress Government holding the Union Government responsible for the hike. "The State Government has no say in the price hike. The price fixation committee sends its recommendation to the Centre which in turn approves it," the CM had said a day after the hike was effected.

Read More