Bengaluru Metro fare hike ahead of civic polls triggers Congress-BJP blame game; commuters bear the brunt

Bengaluru Metro fare hike ahead of civic polls triggers Congress-BJP blame game; commuters bear the brunt

• Bengaluru Metro fares to increase by 5% from Feb 9, sparking political debate
• State government denies role in fare hike, says Centre makes final decision
• BJP accuses Congress of unscientific, burdensome hike decision

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The decision to raise Bengaluru Metro fares by 5 percent from February 9 has sparked a political storm in Karnataka, with Congress-led state government and opposition BJP trading charges over responsibility for the hike, even as commuters bear the brunt of rising travel expenses in India’s costliest Metro network.

The fare revision, which comes ahead of the proposed Greater Bengaluru Authority elections, has drawn widespread criticism from BJP leaders, while the state government has denied any role in approving the increase.

Also, read: Why Bengaluru Metro is enforcing annual fare hikes while Delhi resists, despite similar panel recommendations

Deputy CM and Bengaluru development minister DK Shivakumar said the fare hike does not fall under the state government’s jurisdiction. “I have not received any file related to this. There is a committee to decide Metro fares. I have only seen it in the media,” he said, rejecting claims that the state had cleared the hike.

Shivakumar said the decision rests with the Centre. “Though the state has four representatives in the Fare Fixation Committee, the final decision is taken by the Centre,” he said. Responding to BJP claims that the state could change the committee’s composition, he questioned why the Centre’s nominee heads the committee despite contributing only 12-13% of the Metro project cost. He added that he would compare Bengaluru Metro fares with those of other cities.

The BJP, however, accused the Congress government of failing to intervene despite public opposition.

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya alleged that the state government had allowed a “steep and flawed” fare hike to proceed, placing an undue burden on commuters. He also met Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and sought reconstitution of the Fare Fixation Committee.

Surya said that anomalies in fare calculations, including the use of an incorrect base year, resulted in commuters being overcharged and the maximum fare rising to Rs 95. He demanded that the annual fare hike be kept on hold and, if required, a new committee be constituted to rationalise fares in the public interest.

State BJP president and MLA BY Vijayendra said the fare hike would further burden Bengalureans and worsen the city’s traffic situation. Calling the decision “unscientific”, he accused the state government of adding to public hardship already caused by higher taxes and levies.

Also, read: Bengaluru Metro fares to go up 5% from February 9, BMRCL kicks off annual revision

Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan said the latest hike follows a steep 71 percent increase last year and alleged that flawed calculations by Fare Fixation Committee inflated operating costs, leading to sharp fare increases for a majority of commuters.

Senior BJP leader R Ashoka accused the state government of “pickpocketing” Metro passengers and urged it to immediately halt the hike, saying Bengaluru already has the highest Metro fares in the country.

Also, read: After last year’s up to 71% hike, Bengaluru Metro may raise fares by Rs 1 to Rs 5 from February 9 despite public backlash