Karnataka minister blames Centre for Bengaluru metro fare hike, accuses BJP of 'misguiding' public

Bengaluru: Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Monday held the central government responsible for the recent fare hike of the Bengaluru metro and alleged that BJP leaders were "spreading lies to misguide the public".

The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) recently implemented a fare hike on the recommendation of the Fare Fixation Committee, following which the maximum fare has been increased from Rs 60 to Rs 90 and the minimum balance has been raised from Rs 50 to Rs 90.

He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar to intervene and reduce the metro fare.

Reddy also hit out at Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw over the same issue and suggested that he first read the Metro Act, along with its rules and regulations since he is the Railway Minister and also in charge of the metro.

"Mr Vaishnaw according to me has not studied the Metro Act, metro rules and regulations. First, let him read it because he is the Railway Minister and also in charge of the metro," he told reporters here.

According to the Transport Minister, any metro that wants to hike fares must first write a letter to the central government.

For all metros, the Central Urban Development Minister is the chairman. The metro board will then constitute a fare fixation committee, not only for Bengaluru but for all metros and the head of that committee will be a retired judge, Reddy said.

For Bengaluru, retired judge R Tharani is the chairman of that committee, and Satyendra Pal Singh, the additional secretary to the central government, who is one of the members, represents the Centre while retired IAS officer E V Ramana Reddy represents Karnataka, Reddy added.

Citing the rules and regulations, the Transport Minister listed out the procedures followed by the fare fixation committee.

"The committee comes to Bengaluru, hears the grievances of the metro and takes opinions from the public and other stakeholders," he said.

Reddy stated that it was the committee that decided to hike the fare.

"They (the committee) don't give the report to the Karnataka government. They submit it to the Central Metro Board, which is chaired by the Urban Development Minister of the central government. They took the decision. According to that board, they raised the fare of the Bengaluru metro. But BJP people are making unnecessary allegations against the Congress government," he claimed.

Asserting that the Karnataka government is not responsible for the hike, he accused BJP leaders of making allegations against the state government.

"We are not concerned with any of these issues (metro fare hike). Do they (BJP) not know the rules and regulations, including former Chief Ministers Basavaraj Bommai and Jagadish Shettar? Both Shettar and Union minister Pralhad Joshi are advocates, and if they don't read the rules and regulations of the metro and are making false claims against the Karnataka government, it's very shameful," Reddy claimed.

Responding to allegations that the state government proposed to increase the fare, which the Centre approved, the Transport Minister alleged, "They (BJP) are a bunch of liars. From early morning to evening, they only have to lie to the public. That's all. First, let them read the Metro Act and they will know everything.

"They are intelligent people, they are all graduates and advocates, but they want to misguide and mislead the people." Asked if there were any plans to reduce the fare hike, he clarified, stating that the fare hike is the responsibility of the Central government, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Urban Development Minister of the Central government should intervene.

"They have to reduce (the metro fare). We are not responsible for all this. There is a Metro Act, and no state government has any role in the fare hike," Reddy added.