Bengaluru’s Namma Metro may soon see a fare hike, as the first-ever fare fixation committee, established under sections 33 and 34 of the Metro Railway (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002, has submitted its final report.
The three-member committee, comprising Retired Justice R Tharani, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Additional Secretary Satinder Pal Singh, and Retired IAS officer EV Ramana Reddy, submitted its recommendations on December 16 after a tenure that included public consultations ending October 28.
A senior BMRCL official confirmed that the committee proposed a fare increase, though specific details remain undisclosed. The revision has been deemed necessary to address escalating operational costs and debt servicing needs. The official noted that Consumer Price Index (CPI) growth, which rose from 132 points in June 2017 to 196.5 points in November 2024, further justifies the adjustment.
Namma Metro fares were last revised in June 2017, with a 10-15% increase. Currently, fares range from ₹10 to ₹60, with the maximum fare applying uniformly across long distances, such as the 43.49 km Whitefield-Challaghatta route and the 30.46 km Silk Institute-Madavara route.
The BMRCL board will now review the report before finalizing the fare revision. Commuters have raised concerns over affordability, but officials argue that periodic adjustments are essential for the metro’s financial sustainability and continued expansion.
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