BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Monday issued notices to the state and central governments and Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) on a petition by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, seeking directions to make the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) report public, saying the BMRCL fare is most expensive in the country.
Justice S Sunil Dutt Yadav issued the notices after hearing Surya’s petition, alleging that BMRCL failed to either respond, publish or release the report despite multiple representations and follow-ups by him.
The judge asked Surya’s advocate in jest, “Tejasvi Surya, you (petitioner) are so powerful and can’t make BMRCL release this report.” The advocate submitted that the petitioner himself met the BMRCL Managing Director, but was told that they would need approval to make the report public.
Referring to the FFC report, headed by Justice R Tharani, former judge of the Madras High Court, Surya said that based on the recommendations of the committee, BMRCL hiked fares substantially on February 9, increasing fares by up to 100% in some cases, with the maximum fare rising from Rs 60 to Rs 90, making Namma Metro the most expensive metro in India.
He stated that BMRCL is a JV of central and state governments that uses public funds and has a constitutional duty to function transparently without claiming immunity from its obligation to disclose the report of the FFC, more so, when the decision to hike the fares stems from the report. He said in the past, Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad metro rail corporations have published such reports for the benefit of the public.
He stated that, being an MP, representing the constituency that is primarily served by Namma Metro, as well as a commuter, made three formal written demands to BMRCL on April 28, May 8, and May 15, seeking publication of the FFC report. However, BMRCL failed to act. An RTI application too failed to make BMRCL provide the report.