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The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has said it will not reduce Namma Metro fares, despite ongoing criticism from commuters, mobility experts, and some elected representatives. Many have questioned the steep fare hike introduced in February this year. In a letter to Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya, BMRCL explained
that it is legally required to follow the recommendations of the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) and therefore cannot alter fares on its own.
Increase in Metro Fares
In February, metro fares were increased by up to 110%. After strong public opposition, the fare chart was revised, bringing down the highest increase to 71%. Even with this adjustment, Namma Metro has now become the costliest metro service in India. For example, Delhi Metro's recent fare hike was much smaller, ranging from Re 1 to ₹4 depending on distance. For long trips, the difference is even more noticeable: Bengaluru Metro charges ₹90 for trips above 25 km, while Delhi Metro charges ₹64 for journeys over 32 km.
Coverage of Operation & Maintenance Costs
BMRCL defended the fare increase by saying that metro systems around the world depend mainly on fare revenue to cover operating and maintenance costs. They added that non-fare revenue from advertisements or real estate cannot replace fare earnings, since metro stations have very limited space for commercial activity. The corporation said that fare decisions need to balance affordability with financial sustainability.
Regarding charges of using the wrong base year for calculations, BMRCL clarified that the June 2017 revision was based on audited accounts from FY 2016-17, when Phase 1 became fully operational. To maintain consistency in cost calculations, the same base year must be used in later revisions.
BMRCL's Statement
On the criticism of a 366% rise in maintenance and administration costs, BMRCL said this number reflects accumulated cost movement over 7.5 years, based on the FFC index, and cannot be compared directly with simple year-to-year financial data. While the FFC recommended increases averaging 51.5%, BMRCL said it attempted to soften the impact by analysing hundreds of fare combinations, ensuring the maximum increase stayed at 71.4%.
