Average weekday Metro ridership falls by 90,000 after fare hike

Bengaluru: Namma Metro's average weekday ridership has fallen by 90,000 following the recent fare hike, data shows. 

However, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) says ridership has begun to recover — albeit marginally — after a fare recalibration on February 14 capped the maximum hike at 71.43 per cent. 

From February 10 to 14 — the first working week after the fare hike — average ridership stood at 7.72 lakh, compared to 8.62 lakh in the previous working week (February 4-8). That's a difference of 90,000. 

There was a considerable drop in ridership on Saturdays, too, which usually report robust numbers. On February 15, only 6.9 lakh passengers travelled, compared to 8.07 lakh on February 8. Sunday ridership fell from 6.3 lakh (February 2) and 6.2 lakh (February 9) to 5.3 lakh (February 16). 

A senior BMRCL official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, acknowledged the decline, but stressed that ridership had begun to bounce back, especially after the fare adjustment. 

The official cited ridership during the current week: 7.79 lakh on February 17, 7.67 lakh on February 18 and 3,89,653 on February 19 (until 3 pm). 

Another senior official, also speaking anonymously, claimed that the drop in weekday ridership was "only 30,000 if you see the long-term average". 

"Our average weekday ridership was 8 lakh, and it increased after we opened the Nagasandra-Madavara stretch last November," the official told DH. 

He further explained that ridership isn't uniform on all weekdays. "It's usually high on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Wednesdays and Thursdays see a dip," he added. 

According to him, a clearer picture of the impact of the fare hike will emerge only after another month of data analysis. 

"A drop in ridership is inevitable after a fare hike. It happened in Delhi, too, and lasted a long time before things stabilised. We expect ridership to go back to previous levels by the end of March," he said. 

The early onset of the summer may also boost ridership because passengers usually prefer to travel in air-conditioned metro coaches, the official added. 

Analysis of impact

A BMRCL analysis of commuter responses on social media reveals that the fare hike has significantly impacted the middle-class, especially students. Many are considering switching to personal vehicles. 

Commuters want a reduction in the minimum top-up requirement for smart cards and reinstatement of the 5% discount on QR code tickets. 

Many want the BMRCL to increase non-fare revenue, consider public-private funding, implement the hike gradually and publish daily revenue figures. 

BMRCL Managing Director M Maheshwar Rao told DH: "We are looking at ways in which we can reduce the burden on students."