BENGALURU: Namma Metro’s steep fare hike mind last week has sparked off a debate on the cost of public transport in Bengaluru, and the new ticket rates by Bangalore Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) are drawing criticism from all quarters.
The Metro has partially helped decongest city roads. Long queues at Metro stations, congested coaches during peak hours and weekends are proof of its rising demand. However, Namma Metro has a long way to go before it becomes an essential mass transport provider from the current niche transport image it has drawn for itself. Despite snail-paced traffic and poor road conditions, BMTC buses, autorickshaws, taxis and even private vehicles continue to be a commuter’s choice in Bengaluru.
Urban mobility expert from IISc Prof Ashish Verma said a lack of coordination between government agencies is the prime reason why BMRCL is working the way it is at the moment.
“BMRCL officials have not understood why Metro was introduced. Metro is in the city for public good and not for making profits. It is gradually becoming an elephant. Providing affordable and seamless public transport is an obligation of the government to ensure people’s socio-economic status improves. It is people’s constitutional right, which is not being given. It is the government’s duty to provide access to livelihood opportunities,” he said.
Replying to the question that the Metro is unaffordable for many, a BMRCL official simply said: “Use the bus then.”
Experts point out that BMRCL’s problem is attitude. “They don’t want to learn from their mistakes. Even though it’s a corporation and a limited company, it is accountable to citizens as people pay to use it. There is no transparency. BMRCL should not think of breaking even at this point, when it is not connecting all corners of the city, especially congested areas.”
An urban development department official admitted that Metro is essential public transport, but it will take a long time to become the lifeline of the city, a status that Delhi Metro has achieved. It has many hurdles to cross. “Affordability is the prime reason. Slow paced construction is another. Even after 14 years, it is not connected to all city areas, more so high density corridors,” the official said.
The extensive plan chalked out by BMRCL on extending Metro lines shows it means business. It also raises the pressure on speeding up work.
Dip in ridership
A marginal reduction in hiked ticket rates has not been able to bring back lost ridership. BMRCL officials admitted to a dip in ridership after ticket rates were hiked.
Citizens and experts echo that rentals and transportation in Bengaluru is a costly affair. Bus ticket rates are high compared to other cities, including Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai. So are autorickshaw and taxi fares.
Sakshi K, a college student, said: “With my fixed pocket money and other expenses, I find Metro a costly option, but I use it because it helps me reach college fast. The ticket rate hike is unreasonable as I have to pay for auto also to reach college and home. Now I will have to cut back on other expenses.”
Satya Arikutharam, an urban mobility expert, said public transport should be affordable. The clientele for BMRCL is not middle class and below middle class. Delays have defined BMRCL’s slow build rate of 7km per year, since its first segment opened in 2011. Eleven years on from 2014, Phase 2 remains incomplete.
Perversely, the only current use of the Yellow Line infrastructure is that it serves as a vehicular flyover. It is unlikely that enough coaches will arrive on time, and any meaningful service on the Yellow Line this year appears impossible.
This means that BMRCL is losing out on at least 30 per cent more in additional revenues, which could have easily reduced unfair fare hikes. He added that strategic thinking is missing from all aspects at BMRCL, from planning to building to operations.
Delays, lack of project management
One of the most important factors for any city is connectivity of the city centre to the airport. This is still to be achieved by Bengaluru Metro. BMRCL started groundwork in 2006 and the first train -- MG Road to Baiyappanahalli -- chugged in 2011. Experts and commuters had then flagged the need for airport connectivity. BMRCL started work on the Airport line in 2022 from Krishnarajapuram, setting 2025 as the deadline which is now extended to 2026 under Phase-2B, the Blue Line.
Mobility expert Sanjeev Dyamannavar said that instead of starting Metro work from KR Puram and Silk Board towards the airport, it should have started from the airport. “There are no land acquisition problems on the stretch. In fact, there are land acquisition issues in other places, due to which work on the entire 65-km stretch is delayed. Hebbal to the airport should have been the first priority. Unfortunately, BMRCL does not have project management concepts,” he said.
The delay in starting the Yellow Line -- RV Road-Bommasandra (Phase-2) -- due to lack of coaches also shows a series of lapses. BMRCL officials admitted that of the total length of 75.06km under Phase-2, only 34.65km has been completed. Similarly, of work undertaken under Phase 2A and 2B, only 49 per cent work is completed for the creation of 58.19km.
Citizens point out that whether it is Electronics City, Airport or Outer Ring Road, the Metro is a decade late, leading to an enormous increase in personal vehicles. “I am now used to leaving home at 7am to reach Whitefield from Sarjapur every day. The half-done Metro pillars on some stretches are not at all encouraging. Traffic jams on city roads show the misplaced priorities of the government,” said Jahnavi B, a citizen.
Last-mile connectivity
Even as BMTC boasts that it has feeder buses linked to 46 of the total 66 Metro stations, and runs 206 buses from 6am to 10.30am, city roads continue to be congested. People prefer their own transport as last-mile connectivity is very poor.
BMTC officials admitted that feeder buses are not available in residential and non-residential stations where parking space is not available. “Feeder service is not available at MG Road, Cubbon Park, Vidhana Soudha, Attiguppe or Vijayanagar Metro stations as there is no need. Every 10-15 minutes, bus service is available at Jnanabharathi, Baiyappanahalli, KR Pura, RV Road, Banashankari, Central Silk Institute, Nagasandra and other stations where footfall is high. We have listed 15 such stations,” a BMTC official said.
But people like Shubda V use their own vehicles. “I stay in Byadarahalli. I ride 20 minutes one-way daily to board the Metro from Vijayanagara to reach office. There should be feeder buses available round the clock, especially late night. Metro operates till 11.30pm, but there are no feeder buses at all stations at that time. Besides, they drop people at BMTC bus stands. Night travel in Bengaluru is not safe, especially when roads lack streetlights and footpaths.”
Srinivas Alavilli, civic activist, said one of the most difficult challenges for any city is to integrate different modes of transport to make travel seamless, reliable and comfortable for all. “As urban governance is weak in India, transport providers belonging to various departments have different planning cycles and budgets, and don’t necessarily collaborate with each other.
For the longest time, BMTC has been the only public transport provider but now we have the Metro, and soon, the suburban train. BMTC started running many feeder services, but we have a long way to go in terms of scientifically understanding travel patterns and deploying bus services where needed, when needed. Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) is the need of the hour to coordinate planning and better integrate public transport services,” he said.
Metro coverage area
In 14 years of operation, the Metro has covered only 76.95km in Bengaluru, that sprawls across 857sqkm. Further, its ridership has not crossed 10 lakh a day. Long queues, congested Metro trains, roads along Metro stations and parking lots filled with vehicles, all scream out that the Metro had failed to cover all parts of the city, especially high-density corridors.
Instead of quickly expanding Metro coverage in Bengaluru, the State government is chalking out plans to connect Bidadi, Ramanagara and Tumkuru. Experts point out that BMRCL should work along the Delhi Metro model. BMRCL is doing soil testing for the Orange line, Phase-3 corridor covering Kadabagere to Hosahalli Metro Station, and JP Nagar 4th Phase to Kempapura, covering a total distance of 44.65km; even if 2029 is set as the deadline.
“I stay in Uttarahalli and the nearest Metro station is Nayandahalli, which is 20 minutes away. I prefer a 40-minute ride to work against going to the Metro station, struggling to park and then walking from Metro station to office. The entire exercise would take one-and-half hour, besides the cost,” said Sudarshan G, a commuter.
Similar is the case with Murthy J, a resident of Basavashwaranagar, who travels an hour by bus to reach Vidhana Soudha rather than travel by Metro.
Rajkumar Dugar, founder, Citizens for Citizens, said the area of Metro coverage is unplanned. This is because BMRCL and other government agencies work in silos. He added that after a long struggle, the BMLTA Act was passed in December 2022. But unfortunately, it has not yet been activated. BMLTA is the right authority to decide on anything to do with commute/transport in Bengaluru.
Need to increase frequency
Despite the long standing queues at Metro stations and the congested coaches, BMRCL has been unable to increase the frequency of trains at each station. Against the offered capacity of a nine-coach train at a frequency of every one-and-half minutes, six coaches trains run every 4-15 minutes. The waiting time adds to the total travel time, which is an additional burden for commuters.
Pravar Chowdhary, founder, Benga Walk, said there are mismanagement issues. Trains are not delivered within deadlines, time and existing ones are not running on time. Instead of looking at one vendor, BMRCL should talk to other cities where Metros are operating, and ask for their unused coaches. BMRCL is playing safe -- against the designed capacity of 60-80kmph, trains run at a speed of 30kmph and sometimes even slower. BMRCL should address it to improve services and increase ridership.
BMTC has a ridership of 30-40 lakh people, while BMRCL has not even reached 10 lakh, against its estimation of 30 lakh in 2011, he said.
“I have missed two or more trains many a time, just to find a place to stand. If fares are increasing, the number of trains and services should also increase, but this is not even discussed,” said an agitated Hrishith S, a Metro user.
Comfortable & affordable, says BMRCL
BMRCL Managing Director Maheshwar Rao said it is incorrect to say the Metro is currently not affordable by all sections of society. Metro provides a comfortable ride and is punctual. “No other transport can take you long distances at the present rates. It is already being used by all sections of society. We have to improve first, and take up last-mile connectivity with BMTC in the coming days.
Affordability is always considered while deciding Metro fares,” he said. Rao added that Metro systems are capital-intensive, and around Rs 500 crore is needed to build 1km of underground stretch and Rs 250 crore for an elevated section. Capital is mostly raised through loans taken from funding agencies, along with central and state government investments. Loans are repaid from the revenue earned.
“Our Metro systems are built on world class technologies of trains, signalling and construction, so their maintenance is also expensive.” Explaining the delays, Rao said the reasons are many -- land acquisition, tree clearance, shifting utilities, pandemic, contract and labour issues.
He explained that multiple agencies like Waqf Board, Railways, defence, forest department, private and government lands are required for projects, and clearance takes time. There are also many court litigations that need to be cleared. Some contractors, after awarding works, ran into financial difficulties leading to delay in execution and termination of contracts.