<p>Bengaluru: Starting February 2026, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/namma-metro">Namma Metro</a> fares will increase by up to 5 per cent every year, according to the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC), whose report has just been made public. </p><p>The annual automatic fare revision will further impact metro passengers, who are already upset after the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (<a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/bmrcl">BMRCL</a>) hiked ticket prices by up to 71.43 per cent in February 2025, making Namma Metro the most expensive in India. </p><p>That was BMRCL's first fare hike since June 2017. </p><p>The BMRCL had increased the fares after accepting the FFC's report in toto, whose recommendations are binding on it under Section 33 of the Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002. </p><p>The FFC, the first in Namma Metro's history, submitted its report on December 16, 2024. It had three members and was headed by Justice (retired) R Tharani. </p><p>The BMRCL had sought a hike of 105.15 per cent, or 14.02 per cent year-on-year, before discounts. </p><p>This translated to a minimum fare of Rs 21 and a maximum of Rs 123. Prior to that, the fares were Rs 10 and Rs 60, respectively. </p><p>However, the committee recommended a hike of 51.5 per cent, or 6.87 per cent year-on-year, before discounts. Accordingly, the minimum fare is now Rs 10 and the maximum Rs 90. </p><p>The BMRCL also sought annual automatic fare revision based on a transparent formula to "improve its operating ratio on a continuous basis". Without this, it said, its net loss will stand at Rs 577 crore in 2029-30. </p>.BMRCL pushes to increase non-fare revenue by up to 25%.<p>"Against the year-wise loan repayments of Rs 911 crore, Rs 1,338 crore, Rs 1,440 crore and Rs 1,457 crore from FY 2025-56 to 2029-30, the cash available is only Rs 601 crore, Rs 917 crore, Rs 853 crore and Rs 1,018 crore, respectively. Therefore, no cash accrual will be available to meet asset renewals and replacement. Thus, it is necessary to have an annual automatic fare revision formula to revise the fare based on the changes in the various elements of O&M (operations and maintenance) costs," it noted. </p><p>Since the committee recommended an annual hike of 6.87 per cent (since June 2017), the BMRCL sought a similar automatic annual revision but capped it at 6 per cent. However, the committee agreed to a maximum annual hike of 5 per cent. The annual revision shall be valid till the next FFC is constituted and gives its report. </p><p>Even after the 5 per cent annual fare revision, the BMRCL will have cash available for depreciation only in 2029-30, when it will have Rs 1,457 crore for loan repayment and Rs 198 crore for depreciation. </p><p>The annual fare hike should be arrived at through a transparent formula, or 5 per cent per annum whichever is lower (in each fare slab). </p><p>A well-placed source said the annual fare revision could be as little as 1-2 per cent but not more than 5 per cent. All the fares will be rounded off to the nearest rupeе if the increase is 50 paise or more. </p><p>"If the hike is 5 per cent, a 10 ticket will be rounded off to Rs 11 but a Rs 25 ticket will cost only Rs 26, not Rs 27," the source added. </p><p>The source explained that the next FFC will not be constituted for a decade because the first committee had given "robust and comprehensive" recommendations. </p><p>"We are confident of meeting our financial requirements through the annual automatic fare hike for the forseeable future," the source told <em>DH</em>.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Starting February 2026, <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/namma-metro">Namma Metro</a> fares will increase by up to 5 per cent every year, according to the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC), whose report has just been made public. </p><p>The annual automatic fare revision will further impact metro passengers, who are already upset after the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (<a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/bmrcl">BMRCL</a>) hiked ticket prices by up to 71.43 per cent in February 2025, making Namma Metro the most expensive in India. </p><p>That was BMRCL's first fare hike since June 2017. </p><p>The BMRCL had increased the fares after accepting the FFC's report in toto, whose recommendations are binding on it under Section 33 of the Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002. </p><p>The FFC, the first in Namma Metro's history, submitted its report on December 16, 2024. It had three members and was headed by Justice (retired) R Tharani. </p><p>The BMRCL had sought a hike of 105.15 per cent, or 14.02 per cent year-on-year, before discounts. </p><p>This translated to a minimum fare of Rs 21 and a maximum of Rs 123. Prior to that, the fares were Rs 10 and Rs 60, respectively. </p><p>However, the committee recommended a hike of 51.5 per cent, or 6.87 per cent year-on-year, before discounts. Accordingly, the minimum fare is now Rs 10 and the maximum Rs 90. </p><p>The BMRCL also sought annual automatic fare revision based on a transparent formula to "improve its operating ratio on a continuous basis". Without this, it said, its net loss will stand at Rs 577 crore in 2029-30. </p>.BMRCL pushes to increase non-fare revenue by up to 25%.<p>"Against the year-wise loan repayments of Rs 911 crore, Rs 1,338 crore, Rs 1,440 crore and Rs 1,457 crore from FY 2025-56 to 2029-30, the cash available is only Rs 601 crore, Rs 917 crore, Rs 853 crore and Rs 1,018 crore, respectively. Therefore, no cash accrual will be available to meet asset renewals and replacement. Thus, it is necessary to have an annual automatic fare revision formula to revise the fare based on the changes in the various elements of O&M (operations and maintenance) costs," it noted. </p><p>Since the committee recommended an annual hike of 6.87 per cent (since June 2017), the BMRCL sought a similar automatic annual revision but capped it at 6 per cent. However, the committee agreed to a maximum annual hike of 5 per cent. The annual revision shall be valid till the next FFC is constituted and gives its report. </p><p>Even after the 5 per cent annual fare revision, the BMRCL will have cash available for depreciation only in 2029-30, when it will have Rs 1,457 crore for loan repayment and Rs 198 crore for depreciation. </p><p>The annual fare hike should be arrived at through a transparent formula, or 5 per cent per annum whichever is lower (in each fare slab). </p><p>A well-placed source said the annual fare revision could be as little as 1-2 per cent but not more than 5 per cent. All the fares will be rounded off to the nearest rupeе if the increase is 50 paise or more. </p><p>"If the hike is 5 per cent, a 10 ticket will be rounded off to Rs 11 but a Rs 25 ticket will cost only Rs 26, not Rs 27," the source added. </p><p>The source explained that the next FFC will not be constituted for a decade because the first committee had given "robust and comprehensive" recommendations. </p><p>"We are confident of meeting our financial requirements through the annual automatic fare hike for the forseeable future," the source told <em>DH</em>.</p>