The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on Sunday said it has put on hold the implementation of the annual metro fare revision scheduled to take effect from February 9 amid the growing political tussle between the state government and the Centre.
BJP MP Tejaswi Surya interacted with commuters at RV Road Metro station regarding the proposed Bengaluru Metro fare revision. (PTI)In a statement, BMRCL said its earlier announcement on the revised fare structure will not be implemented until further orders, indicating that a final decision is still pending.
“The media release dated February 5 announcing the implementation of the annual fare revision with effect from February 9 has been put on hold till further orders,” the corporation said.
It added that the matter will be placed before the BMRCL board before any final decision is taken. “The decision on the revised fare will be communicated after review by the board,” the statement said.
The proposed amendment involved an annual increase of 5 percent, which translates into an increase of approx ₹From 1 ₹5 across the fare slab. The announcement triggered criticism from commuters and heated exchanges between Karnataka’s ruling Congress and the opposition BJP and JD(S).
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On Sunday, BJP MP Tejashwi Surya interacted with metro commuters to gather feedback on the proposed hike. He later told reporters that commuters were unhappy over frequent fare revisions and accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar of misleading the people by blaming the Center for the hike.
Surya demanded the formation of a fare determination committee, alleging inconsistencies in calculations by the existing panel. On Saturday, he said Manohar Lal Khattar had directed officials to temporarily put the proposed hike on hold and assured a personal review of the committee’s findings. He added that a new committee could be considered if the state government makes a formal request.
HD Kumaraswamy also blamed the state government for the fare revision. Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, he alleged that while the Center had asked the state not to go ahead with the extension, it was insisting on implementation and shifting the blame later.
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“After increasing the metro fare, the state government is sending money to the Centre, which is untrue,” he said, adding that the state is not maintaining a cooperative approach in implementing central plans and policies.
The Congress, however, rejected the BJP’s allegations and said that the rent decision is not taken by the state government. In a post on X, the party called Sun’s position that the Center had no role in the metro fare hike “hypocritical” and questioned how the Center could stop the revision if it had no authority over fare fixing.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah maintained that under the Metro Railway (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002, fares are determined by a fare fixing committee appointed by the central government, and states have no legal power to override such decisions.
Reiterating its stand, BMRCL said the interests of passengers are its priority. “BMRCL is committed to providing safe, reliable and affordable metro services to the citizens of Bengaluru,” it said.
