BENGALURU: With Delhi Metro revising passenger fares from Monday, a marginal increase of Rs 1-4 (up to Rs 5 on the Airport Express Line), commuters in Bengaluru are demanding a revision of Namma Metro fares and pressing for the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) report to be made public.
Commuters have drawn comparisons between the steeper hikes by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and the relatively smaller increases in Delhi, questioning the rationale, especially given Delhi Metro’s expansive network of 395 km, compared to Bengaluru’s 96 km.
John, a teacher from Jayanagar and a regular commuter, said, “Even with persistent complaints about train frequency, overcrowding, and the lack of first and last-mile connectivity, Namma Metro somehow ends up being the costliest Metro service in the country. I request that the fare be revised and not burn the public’s pocket.”
Another commuter, Prajwal, a store manager at a mall, raised concerns over transparency, asking, “My only question to BMRCL is, if Delhi Metro can manage its fares, why can’t Bengaluru Metro? Also, why has the FFC report still not been made public? What is BMRCL hiding? At this point, it even raises doubts about whether the report exists at all.”
Highlighting the disparity on X, Varun Rao posted, “Delhi Metro’s network is 395 km and the maximum ticket price after the hike is Rs 64. Bengaluru Metro is only 96 km, but the maximum fare is Rs 90. What’s the logic behind setting this cap? Is BMRCL planning to offer recliner seats in metro coaches and charging Rs 90 as a luxury cess?”