Bengaluru metro fare hike on temporary hold: Tejasvi Surya

Bengaluru, Feb 7 (IANS) Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya announced that, following his discussion with Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, the proposed Bengaluru Metro fare hike has been temporarily suspended.

He stated that he had requested the Union Minister’s immediate intervention regarding the planned fare increase for the Bengaluru Metro, scheduled to take effect on February 9.

Surya noted, “Bengaluru already has the highest Metro fares in India. Another increase would make public transport inaccessible for many citizens and undermine its purpose.”

“The Union Minister has directed that the proposed fare hike be suspended temporarily and will not take effect from Monday. He also assured a personal review of the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) and indicated that a new committee may be formed if requested by the State,” Surya stated.

“I appreciate his prompt and considerate response,” Surya said.

“This demonstrates the Centre’s commitment to commuter welfare by preventing unreasonable fare increases. The key question now is whether the State Government will act in the citizens’ interest,” he said.

He urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to promptly initiate the process to establish a new FFC and to facilitate the timely rationalisation of fares.

Earlier, Surya said that even before people have recovered from the previous Metro fare hike, the state government and the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) are preparing to increase Metro fares again.

He added that he has consistently raised concerns over repeated fare increases and high Metro ticket prices for the past year.

He stated that the state government, led by the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, has repeatedly claimed the central government imposed the fare hike, a claim he disputes.

He emphasised that the fare fixation committee was established by the central government only after receiving four formal requests from the state government.

He clarified that the central government did not unilaterally form a committee or increase Metro fares.

He reiterated that the central government formed the fare fixation committee in response to repeated requests from the state government. He also noted that BMRCL is a joint project between the central and state governments.

He stated that, according to the memorandum of understanding between the state and central governments, fare fixation is the responsibility of the state government.

He noted that, following a previous 71 per cent fare increase, Bengaluru Metro has become the most expensive Metro rail system in the country over the past eight to ten months.

–IANS

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