Bangalore Metro Commuters' Association demands fare rollback, questions use of city cess funds

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Metro Commuters' Association (BMCA) on Wednesday accused political parties of evading responsibility over the recent metro fare hike and demanded that the state government disclose details of the special city cess collected for infrastructure projects between 1996 and 2003.

At a press meet, the BMCA condemned the fare hike, arguing that Bengaluru Metro remains the most expensive in the country despite revisions.

The association urged an immediate rollback and called on the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL), the state Congress government, and the central BJP government to justify the steep increase.

Having gathered over 10,000 signatures against the hike, the BMCA submitted a petition to the BMRCL. It also announced a citizens’ convention with ‘Metroman’ E Sreedharan on Sunday at the Scouts and Guides Hall, Palace Road, to discuss the impact of the fare hike and strategies to lower the fares.

The association highlighted a decline of over one lakh daily commuters since the hike, warning that this could push more people toward personal transport, worsening Bengaluru’s traffic congestion. It called for implementing Sreedharan’s recommendation to boost non-fare revenue and cap metro fares at no more than 1.5 times the non-AC bus fare.

Representatives also accused the government of shifting the burden of project delays and cost overruns onto the commuters. They pointed to the cost escalation of Phase 2 from Rs 26,205 crore to Rs 40,614 crore, with the deadline now extended to 2026.

"The BMRCL recorded an operational profit of Rs 129.3 crore in 2023-24, following a Rs 108-crore surplus in 2022-23. It is projected to reach Rs 200 crore by 2025-26,” the BMCA said, questioning the need for a fare hike when the corporation continues to receive substantial funding.