Namma Metro.
Credit: DH Photo/ S K Dinesh
Bengaluru: Greenpeace India has opposed the proposed increase in metro fares, saying it will impact the affordability of public transport, especially for the working class.
In a letter to the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), the environmental organisation urged rolling back the fare hike.
The Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) has recommended increasing the fares by 40-45 per cent, the first for Namma Metro since June 2017. The base fare will increase from Rs 10 to Rs 15 and the maximum fare from Rs 60 to Rs 85.
Under Section 37 of the Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002, the committee's recommendations are binding on the BMRCL board.
Greenpeace India also demanded a rollback of the 15% hike in bus fares, which came into effect on January 5.
It urged the creation of a dedicated public transport fund, with annual contributions from state and national governments, to cover the operational and maintenance requirements of the public transport system.