BENGALURU: As Namma Metro commuters await an update over the proposed 5% fare hike, a larger and more uncomfortable question is being quietly sidelined: what about the controversial 71% hike imposed last year?
The current review by the state government seems to focus on the annual 5% increase recommended by the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC). However, letters sent to the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs argue that the real issue lies in alleged calculation errors in the 2025 revision, which are yet to be fully examined.
The fare controversy erupted in February 2025 when the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) announced hikes exceeding 100%.
“The debate on the 71 percent was itself unresolved but BMRCL added an additional 5% fares on the flawed FFC report,” said Satya Arikutharam, an independent mobility expert and further adding, “Commuters are not asking for reductions. They are demanding corrections.”
He alleged that the fare hike was flawed from the start. “Initially, a technical error led to some fares increasing by over 100%. That was ‘moderated’ to 71%. Now the annual hike has been temporarily kept in abeyance. But BMRCL must not attempt to push it through in stealth mode when new corridors open.”
Krishna Raj, Professor at the Institute for Social and Economic Change and member of the State Expert Committee on Resource Mobilisation, explained the corporation’s financial position. “BMRCL’s expenditure exceeds its revenue. Only 20% of project cost comes from the Centre and 80% from the state. Operational sustainability depends largely on fare collections.”
Warning of broader consequences, he said, “The balance-sheet approach alone is not enough. Metro fares must consider societal equity. The BMRCL should explore new sources of revenue rather solely depending on fare.” Satya Arikutharam points to Mumbai Metro One Private Limited, where fare hikes were stalled after judicial scrutiny. The Bombay High Court in 2017 quashed a defective FFC report and stayed hikes. Even Delhi Metro ignored the FFC recommendation on automatic annual increase.
“Why is BMRCL alone treating the FFC as binding or sacrosanct?” he asked. “If the 2025 defective FFC report contains errors, correcting it is the only remedy to Bengaluru commuters’ fare misery,” he added.