Who calls the shots? Commuters caught in political crossfire over Bengaluru Metro fare hike

BENGALURU: The proposed 5% hike in Namma Metro fares has snowballed into a political controversy, exposing conflicting narratives between the Centre, state govt and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), even as commuters remain uncertain if the revised fares will be implemented from Monday or not.

Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya claimed Union housing and urban affairs minister Manohar Lal Khattar has intervened to stall the hike. "I met the Union minister during Parliament session and highlighted errors in the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) report. On Saturday, I had a detailed conversation with him over the phone. He later informed me that Metro officials were directed not to implement the hike and to explain the flaws on Monday," Surya said. He claimed the issue will remain unresolved until Karnataka govt writes to the Centre seeking reconstitution of FFC.



BMRCL sources, however, said the corporation did not receive any instruction to defer the hike. "As per Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002, FFC recommendations are binding on BMRCL; not implementing them will have financial implications," a senior official said.

Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said: "There is a committee headed by a Union govt secretary to decide Metro fares. We were not consulted. We do not want to trouble people by hiking fares."

Union minister HD Kumaraswamy, meanwhile, blamed Karnataka govt for the hike, questioning why similar increases were not implemented in other states. Calling the move anti-people, he accused the govt of shifting blame to the Centre.

Commuter groups have strongly opposed the proposed hike. The Bangalore Metro Commuters' Association and Save Bangalore Committee submitted a representation to the BMRCL managing director, pointing out that last year's fare increase of up to 71% has already burdened regular passengers. "Another hike amid rising fuel, housing and commodity prices will push commuters back to private vehicles, defeating the Metro's purpose," their letter said.

BMRCL chief PRO BL Yeshwanth Chavan refused to comment, saying the corporation will not respond at this juncture.