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Amid growing political tension between the ruling Congress party and the BJP over the proposed increase in Namma Metro fares, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced on Monday that metro ticket prices will be recalculated from scratch. He said the new calculation will follow the same fare formula used by
the Delhi Metro. This announcement came one day after the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) decided to stop the fare hike temporarily. The revised fares were supposed to come into effect on Monday, but were put on hold due to strong public protests and pressure from political parties.
Decision to Pause the Fare Increase
Mr. Shivakumar made it clear that the decision to pause the fare increase was taken by the Karnataka State government. He dismissed claims made by BJP leaders that the Union government had stepped in to stop the hike. Speaking at a press conference held at Vidhana Soudha, he said that a letter reportedly sent by the Centre asking BMRCL to delay the fare hike had no legal standing.
He explained that metro fare decisions fall under the authority of the State government and metro officials, not the Union government. According to him, the Centre does not have the power to interfere in metro fares or issue instructions on such issues.
No Political Agenda Behind the Decision
Mr. Shivakumar also stressed that there is no political agenda behind the decision to recalculate fares. He said the government's focus is only on ensuring fair and reasonable ticket prices for metro passengers. To address concerns raised by commuters, he has instructed officials to work out the fares again by using the formula adopted by the Delhi Metro, which is considered more transparent and balanced.
The move aims to calm public anger, resolve the controversy surrounding the fare hike, and ensure that any future revision is justified, affordable, and acceptable to the people who depend on the metro for daily travel.
