Bengaluru Metro Fare Hike: CM Siddaramaiah Counters Opposition Criticism
CM Siddaramaiah clarifies Bengaluru Metro fare hike, countering BJP's allegations. He highlights BMRCL’s financial constraints, Centre’s role in fare decisions, and the necessity of implementing committee recommendations.
- Bengaluru Metro fare revision follows a Centre-appointed committee’s recommendations.
- BMRCL sought a fare hike in 2017 due to financial constraints.
- CM Siddaramaiah accuses BJP of misleading the public for political gains.
Bengaluru : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has addressed public concerns over the proposed Bengaluru Metro fare hike, stating that the government aims to present the facts transparently. He criticized the opposition BJP for allegedly spreading misinformation and misleading the public for political gains.
Metro Fare Hike Debate and Political Reactions
The CM emphasized that while citizens have the right to protest against government decisions, the BJP’s claims regarding fare revisions are politically motivated. He accused BJP leaders of celebrating Metro project achievements when convenient but blaming the state government for fare adjustments.
Siddaramaiah clarified that the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) operates as a joint venture between the Karnataka and Central governments, with equal (50:50) ownership. The corporation functions autonomously under the Metro Rail (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002, and key decisions, including fare hikes, require central approval.
Decision-Making and Role of the Central Government
The CM revealed that BMRCL had requested a fare revision from the central government, not the state, as early as 2017. In response, the Centre formed a fare revision committee headed by retired Madras High Court judge R. Tharani, including representatives from both governments.
This committee conducted detailed studies, including comparisons with Metro systems in Delhi and Chennai, and submitted its report in December 2024. The findings highlighted that Bengaluru Metro’s fare structure had remained unchanged since June 2017, despite network expansions.
Bengaluru Metro’s Expansion and Fare Comparison
At the time of the last fare adjustment in 2017, Bengaluru Metro operated on a 42.30 km route. Since then, the network has expanded, with further extensions planned to reach 175.55 km by December 2026.
Comparing fares, the CM noted that Bengaluru Metro’s current minimum fare is ₹10, and the maximum is ₹60. In contrast, Mumbai Metro’s maximum fare stands at ₹80. He pointed out that, except for Delhi, Metro fares in most states are determined by their respective corporations, whereas Bengaluru follows a Centre-appointed committee’s recommendations.
Mandatory Implementation of Fare Revision
Siddaramaiah stated that under Section 37 of the Metro Rail (Operation and Maintenance) Act, recommendations from the fare revision committee are binding. Therefore, BMRCL must implement the revised fares as directed.
By presenting these facts, the CM aimed to dispel misinformation and assure the public that the fare revision process was conducted fairly and systematically.
