Bengaluru metro fare hike: BMRCL releases FFC report, reveals committee suggested only 51.5% increase

BENGALURU: Despite the Fare Fixation Committees recommendation to hike the Metro fare by 51.5%, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) increased the fares by a steep 71%. This disclosure follows BMRCL finally making the committee report public after nearly seven months of withholding it. The report was released after sustained pressure from commuters, elected representatives and RTI applicants. The fare hike, imposed in February, raised ticket prices by as much as 71% and triggered widespread criticism. BMRCL had insisted that the revision was in line with FFC recommendations, but the report itself was kept out of public view until now. The panel had proposed a 51.5% fare increase spread over 7.5 years, amounting to an annualised rise of about 6.87%. It recommended a transparent, formula-driven mechanism that would automatically revise fares annually based on staff costs (linked to the Consumer Price Index), energy charges and maintenance expenses, capped at 5% each year. In contrast, BMRCL had initially sought a 105% hike, which the FFC rejected as unreasonable. The corporation ultimately went ahead with a 71% increase, far steeper than the committees gradualist approach. The report also urged a restructuring of the fare system. Instead of 29 slabs, it suggested a simplified model with 10 rounded slabs in multiples of Rs 10. Under this, the minimum fare would remain Rs 10 (for up to 2 km), while the maximum would be capped at Rs 90 for trips of 25 km or more. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, who has been protesting against the fare hike and also took the matter to the Karnataka High Court, said, A day before the high court was set to hear my petition and seven months after the steep fare hike, BMRCL has published the FFC report on its website. In its objections before the high court, BMRCL had categorically stated that it received approval from the state government on July 16 to release the report. Yet, it took them almost two months to upload it. Meanwhile, Bengaluru Central MP PC Mohan said BMRCL should either roll back the fare hike or adhere to the recommendations made by the committee and keep it at 51.5%. Unfair affair The Fare Fixation Committee had urged a restructuring of the fare system Instead of 29 slabs, it suggested a simplified model with 10 rounded slabs in multiples of Rs 10 Under this, the minimum fare would remain Rs 10 (for up to 2 km), while the maximum would be capped at Rs 90 for trips of 25 km or more BMRCL had initially sought a 105% hike which the Fare Fixation Committee it as unreasonable