<p>Bengaluru: Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Monday sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) over hike in Namma Metro fares, noting that it was the Centre’s responsibility. </p>.<p>Reacting to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s statement that the state government is accountable for the fare hike, Reddy noted that the Centre had constituted the Fare Fixation Committee, whose recommendations are binding on Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). </p>.<p class="bodytext">Namma Metro increased its fares on February 9. While the average hike was 51.55% before discounts and 46.39% after discounts, fares on some routes had increased by 100%. The BMRCL later slashed ticket prices by recalibrating fare combinations, although there is no change in fare slabs. The minimum hike is now 33% and maximum 71.43%. </p>.Is Metro fare hike unfair?.<p class="bodytext">While BJP leaders have blamed the state for the fare hike, Reddy strongly disagreed. </p>.<p class="bodytext">“They (the committee) do not submit a report to the state government, they submit to the metro board (of directors),” he told reporters. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The board is chaired by the MoHUA secretary. </p>.<p class="bodytext">“BJP leaders are making unnecessary allegations. If they don’t read the rules and regulations of the Metro Act, it is shameful,” Reddy said. </p>.<p class="bodytext">He called BJP MPs and MLAs “a bunch of liars.” “They are all intelligent people, they are all graduates. They know everything but they want to misguide the people,” he added. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Reddy asserted that “nobody has shifted from metro to BMTC” and that ridership is normal now despite higher-than-usual counts on some days. </p>.<p class="bodytext">However, official data shows that BMTC ridership rose by nearly one lakh from February 3 (36.24 lakh) to February 10 (37.22 lakh). </p>.<p class="bodytext">Reddy told <span class="italic">DH</span> that the state has submitted proposals for 7,000 new electric buses for the BMTC but dodged answering the question on the auto fare hike to prevent arbitrary pricing and urged people to lodge complaints when such issues crop up. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Prakash Mandoth, president of the Bangalore Metro and Suburban Rail Passengers’ Association, met BMRCL Managing Director M Maheshwar Rao on Monday. He cited falling ridership and sought affordable fares.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Monday sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) over hike in Namma Metro fares, noting that it was the Centre’s responsibility. </p>.<p>Reacting to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s statement that the state government is accountable for the fare hike, Reddy noted that the Centre had constituted the Fare Fixation Committee, whose recommendations are binding on Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). </p>.<p class="bodytext">Namma Metro increased its fares on February 9. While the average hike was 51.55% before discounts and 46.39% after discounts, fares on some routes had increased by 100%. The BMRCL later slashed ticket prices by recalibrating fare combinations, although there is no change in fare slabs. The minimum hike is now 33% and maximum 71.43%. </p>.Is Metro fare hike unfair?.<p class="bodytext">While BJP leaders have blamed the state for the fare hike, Reddy strongly disagreed. </p>.<p class="bodytext">“They (the committee) do not submit a report to the state government, they submit to the metro board (of directors),” he told reporters. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The board is chaired by the MoHUA secretary. </p>.<p class="bodytext">“BJP leaders are making unnecessary allegations. If they don’t read the rules and regulations of the Metro Act, it is shameful,” Reddy said. </p>.<p class="bodytext">He called BJP MPs and MLAs “a bunch of liars.” “They are all intelligent people, they are all graduates. They know everything but they want to misguide the people,” he added. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Reddy asserted that “nobody has shifted from metro to BMTC” and that ridership is normal now despite higher-than-usual counts on some days. </p>.<p class="bodytext">However, official data shows that BMTC ridership rose by nearly one lakh from February 3 (36.24 lakh) to February 10 (37.22 lakh). </p>.<p class="bodytext">Reddy told <span class="italic">DH</span> that the state has submitted proposals for 7,000 new electric buses for the BMTC but dodged answering the question on the auto fare hike to prevent arbitrary pricing and urged people to lodge complaints when such issues crop up. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Prakash Mandoth, president of the Bangalore Metro and Suburban Rail Passengers’ Association, met BMRCL Managing Director M Maheshwar Rao on Monday. He cited falling ridership and sought affordable fares.</p>