'Fare' enough? Delhi, Bengaluru commuters react to metro price hike

After 8 years, Delhi Metro saw an increase in its ticket fares albeit the hike was fairly nominal i.e. Rs 1 to Rs 4 across most lines. However, this hike prompted Bengaluru metro travelers to raise concern regarding their own ticket price despite travelling in a much smaller network.

Not so long ago, Bengaluru commuters too witnessed a hike in their own metro fares. However, unlike Delhi, their price hike was much steeper.

This prompted commuters to draw comparisons between Delhi and Bengaluru and question the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) for their reasoning behind this rationale.

Currently, the Delhi Metro spans 395 km with the maximum ticket priced at Rs 64. The Bengaluru Metro, (though the 2nd largest metro network) spans an operational length of 96 km. However, a commuter has to pay up to (maximum ticket price) Rs 90 for a trip.

One of the commuters took to X (formerly Twitter) to air his grievance. He wrote, "Delhi metro network is 395 km and the maximum ticket price is ₹64 after price revise.

"Bengaluru metro network is 96km and the maximum ticket is ₹90. What is the logic behind setting ₹90 cap? Is BMRCL planning to give recliner seats in metro coaches and taking ₹90 including luxury cess?"

Another user wrote, "A fare comparison shows the extent of the gap. In Delhi, a passenger pays Rs 32 for a journey of up to 12km, but a similar amount (Rs 30) covers only 6km in Bengaluru. For trips up to 20km, Namma Metro commuters are charged Rs 70, while Delhi Metro charges Rs 43 for up to 21km."

Even BJP MP Tejasvi Surya took to social media to criticise the difference in fare hike.

He wrote, "Just compare these reasonable hikes in the Delhi Metro to what @OfficialBMRCL has made in Bengaluru.

"The steep hike in Bengaluru is absolutely illogical and makes Bengaluru metro the costliest in the country and unaffordable to many. It’s even more shameful that they haven’t published the Fare Fixation Committee report yet!"

However, Delhi commuters too are enraged over the price hike, with many commuters complaining that this news came suddenly and without any prior notice.

One user wrote, "What about service of metro line you’re increasing fares but what about infrastructure and on time service. That’s your part of scam timer shows 5 min to next metro in station & next metro comes in 7-8 mins,” a third user reacted."

A commuter told ANI, "A middle-class family cannot afford the metro fares. Some people can, but some cannot. I believe that the fares should not be increased so that the middle class can also afford them. The fares should not be increased, they should stay as they are."