Travelling on the Namma Metro between MG Road and Baiyapannahalli is set to become dearer with Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) working on hiking fares.
The hike is imminent even as Reach 3 and 3A, between Swastik-Yeshwanthpur-Peenya, is yet to begin commercial operations. Incidentally, a study is underway on fare hike and its effects ahead of commissioning of the 9.9-km stretch on Reach 3 and 3 A which has 10 stations.
BMRCL Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola told Deccan Herald, “We are definitely working on hiking the existing fares but so far we have not decided the quantum.”
BMRCL officials said the Fare Fixation Committee is already working on the issue for sometime now and is going to pass an order soon. BMRCL is also seeking assistance from the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC) to decide the fares.
The quantum of hike will be decided only after the ISEC completes a study on it. Nevertheless, the decision will be taken after considering various factors such as cost of operations, infrastructure creation, besides the electricity tariff.
Justifying the hike, BMRCL officials said when the stretch was first opened, it was made clear that fares would be hiked after completion of two years. The fares announced at that time were clearly termed as promotional fares, added an official.
Namma Metro completed two years of commercial operations on the 6.7-km MG Road-Baiyapannahalli stretch in October.
At present, the minimum fare on this section is Rs 10 and the maximum is Rs 15. In 2011, when the Metro first became operational, the fares were fixed approximately at Rs 2.14 per km. According to the officials, it could barely cover the electricity cost, leave alone the earnings and profit or even the operational cost.