BENGALURU: Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya on Saturday warned of statewide protests if Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) proceeds with the proposed 5% Metro fare hike in February, calling Namma Metro the costliest in the country and demanding immediate reconstitution of the Fare Fixation Committee.
Surya said Metro fares in Bengaluru were nearly double those in Delhi, Chennai and Kochi for a 10-km journey, discouraging ordinary commuters from using public transport. He described the proposed hike as “unforgivable” and accused the State government and BMRCL of repeatedly burdening citizens through unjustified fare increases. Warning of agitation, he said the BJP would organise large-scale protests in front of every Metro station if the fare hike is implemented. He further accused the State government of shifting blame to the Centre and asserted that “anti-people and unscientific” fare hikes would not be accepted, urging authorities to protect commuters’ interests.
He also flagged the prolonged delay of the Orange Line Metro project, which has been pending for over four years, and said BMRCL must take responsibility for the setback. “The earlier decision of the Fare Fixation Committee itself was flawed, and we had strongly objected to it. BMRCL chose to ignore those objections,” he said.
Urging corrective action, Surya said the state government should immediately write to the Centre seeking reconstitution of the Fare Fixation Committee, adding that all Bengaluru MPs would extend full support to the demand.