'Decision on min balance in metro cards autocratic'

The wave of opposition to hike in minimum balance on Metro smartcard on social media saw its first physical representation in the form of a protest by a handful of commuters at the Town Hall here on Friday.

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on Wednesday afternoon hiked the minimum balance on smartcards from Rs 8.50 to Rs 50 in a sudden decision that left many commuters stranded.

On Friday, a small group of commuters gathered in front of Town Hall to protest against the "autocratic decision".

Krushika A V, who had come to the city for a two-day visit, said he was one of the 300 commuters who got stranded at Sampige Road metro station for not having the minimum balance.

"I had Rs 39 balance and offered to recharge the card by Rs 11 to ensure compliance with the rule. But the metro staffer said Rs 50 is the minimum recharge amount. I don't understand why commuters have to shell out so much money when they don't need it," he said.

Krushika and 300 others staged a protest at the metro station and demanded that metro officials address them. "Many protesters left after 10. I waited till 12.30 am but the police came and convinced me to return there the next day. On Thursday I didn't stage a protest but metro officials got me arrested by Malleshwaram police," he said.

Guruprasad D N, another commuter, said BMRCL's decision will hurt the poor people. "It's a huge blow for the poor who want to avail the discount on travel. We pay Rs 50 to buy the card. If anyone didn't have money to pay for the exit, BMRCL should have confiscated their card. Instead, imposing such a rule on everyone shows total disregard for the concerns of the commuters," he said.

Krushika and Ramesh Adiga, another protester, said BMRCL should have consulted the public before taking such a decision. "We have submitted s memorandum. We will continue this protest against the autocratic decision," they added.