Karnataka Government Asks Bengaluru Metro to Recalculate Fare Hike Amid Political Row

A day after the Union Government directed Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited to put the annual fare revision on hold, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said on Monday that the state government suggested that BMRCL recalculate the proposed fare hike. Citing a letter from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, he said the Union government wrote to BMRCL stating that the annual fare revision of 5 per cent, which was expected to be implemented from Monday, should be discussed in the company’s board meeting. “They asked us to withhold the hike until the board meeting was over. It was supposed to be held today. It is postponed,” he told a news conference. The annual revision, as mandated by the fare fixation committee (FFC), meant a 5 per cent increase in all Bengaluru Metro fares. “FFC decided on a 5 per cent hike one year ago. On February 9, 2025, it was decided to implement the annual hike from the subsequent year. Nobody spoke then. Whoever is raising their voice now was silent,” Shivakumar said, criticising the campaign by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya opposing the fare hike. The hike was based on an increase in expenses incurred by BMRCL for operation and maintenance, energy and manpower costs, among others. Drawing a comparison, he said that while security for Delhi Metro was handled by the Centre by deploying CISF personnel, BMRCL was bearing security costs apart from paying GST for the services availed of. On whether the next revision will be on the higher side, he said that it would be discussed once the metro reworked the fares. “We will also await the Centre’s decision on the issue,” he said, maintaining that the decision to withhold the hike was taken by the state. “Right now, within the powers vested with the state government, we looked for ways to help the commuters. We have asked to recalculate the metro fare,” Shivakumar said. The metro fare revision is at the centre of an intense political row, with the state government blaming the Centre and the BJP pointing fingers at the ruling Congress for it. On Monday, Surya was detained by the police while attempting to protest against the fare hike at the RV Road Metro station.