Bengaluru Metro Fare Hike Ignites Major Political Controversy and Commuter Confusion
A proposed 5% increase in Namma Metro fares has escalated into a significant political controversy, revealing starkly conflicting narratives between the Central government, the Karnataka state administration, and the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). Commuters across Bengaluru remain in a state of uncertainty, unsure whether the revised fares will be implemented starting Monday as initially planned.
Political Figures Clash Over Fare Hike Authority and Implementation
Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya has asserted that Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has personally intervened to halt the proposed fare increase. "I met the Union minister during the Parliament session and highlighted critical errors in the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) report," Surya stated. "On Saturday, I engaged in a detailed telephone conversation with him. He subsequently informed me that Metro officials were directed not to proceed with the hike and to provide an explanation of the report's flaws on Monday." Surya further claimed the issue cannot be resolved until the Karnataka government formally requests the Centre to reconstitute the FFC.
In contrast, BMRCL sources have indicated that the corporation has not received any official instruction to defer the fare adjustment. A senior official explained, "According to the Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act of 2002, the recommendations of the Fare Fixation Committee are legally binding on BMRCL. Failure to implement them could lead to serious financial implications for the corporation."
State Government and Union Minister Express Divergent Views
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar emphasized that the state was not consulted on the fare decision. "There exists a committee headed by a Union government secretary to determine Metro fares. We were not involved in this process. Our intention is not to burden the people with a fare hike," Shivakumar remarked.
Meanwhile, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy placed the blame squarely on the Karnataka government, questioning why similar fare increases have not been enforced in other states. Labeling the move as anti-people, Kumaraswamy accused the state administration of attempting to shift responsibility onto the Central government.
Commuters Voice Strong Opposition to Proposed Increase
Commuters and advocacy groups have expressed vehement opposition to the proposed fare hike. The Bangalore Metro Commuters' Association and the Save Bangalore Committee jointly submitted a formal representation to the BMRCL Managing Director. Their letter highlighted that last year's fare increase, which reached up to 71%, has already imposed a significant financial burden on regular passengers.
"Implementing another hike amidst rising costs of fuel, housing, and essential commodities will likely push commuters back to using private vehicles. This would fundamentally defeat the core purpose of the Metro system, which is to provide affordable and efficient public transportation," the commuter groups argued in their submission.
BMRCL Chief Public Relations Officer BL Yeshwanth Chavan declined to comment on the ongoing developments, stating that the corporation will not issue a response at this critical juncture.
