Metro may charge more in peak hours

Namma Metro Phase II being approved in principle by the State Government, the Bangalore Meto Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and other agencies involved in the implementation work will have two key challenges.

The Government of Karnataka has, through a government order (GO) dated February 21, 2012, among other things, asked the Corporation to explore ways of evolving a policy of differential pricing of fare and ways of earning carbon credits for the project.

Unilke the operational portion of reach-I of phase-I of the project, the GO says: “Necessary action shall be taken by the BMRCL to adopt a policy of differential pricing of fare.”

The orders states that the policy should, wherever feasible, charge higher fare in respect to the trips originating and ending in crertain specified stations and charging higher fare in peak hours. BMRCL officials were not reachable for comments and attempts to obtain the logic behind this move from the department of urban development went futile.

Sources said that being a capital intensive project, this move would help rake in some extra money in the initial phases of operations as also provide for more efficient services.

They said that given that the project connects places home to the IT companies and there is an anticipations of a lot of people using the service, stations along these stretches may be considered for higher fares.

The two new lines Gottigere to Nagawara covering 21.25km with 13,79 km going underground and RV Road to Bommasandra covering 18.82-km, the order said, traverse through some of the densest and traffic congested areas and  are expected to bring connectivity to the IT industry.