Bengaluru Metro’s steep fare hike, which came into effect on February 9, has drawn criticism from opposition leaders and the public, with many calling it the most expensive public transit system in the country. A day after the fare hike, Bengaluru Metro’s ridership dropped by 4%, with 8.29 lakh passengers on Monday, February 10, compared to the usual 8.6 lakh on a normal Monday.
While Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) attributed the drop to the ongoing Aero India 2025 show, regular passengers expressed discontent over the sudden increase in fares. Many commuters, especially students and daily travelers, said the hike had forced them to seek alternative transport options. According to reports, BMRCL officials have said they would review the fare hike taking feedback of commuters into account.
The fare for the 6.7 km stretch between MG Road and Baiyappanahalli doubled from Rs 20 to Rs 40, while the fare from Baiyappanahalli to Vidhana Soudha jumped from Rs 25 to Rs 50. The maximum fare for journeys above 25 km now stands at Rs 90, making it the highest among Indian metro systems. Despite its relatively small 76 km network, it charges Rs 90 for trips over 25 km, whereas Delhi Metro, with a sprawling 353 km network, charges Rs 60 for journeys beyond 32 km.
A BJP delegation, led by Basavanagudi MLA LA Ravi Subramanya, Jayanagar MLA CK Ramamurthy, and Dasarahalli MLA S Muniraju, met with BMRCL Managing Director M Maheshwar Rao on February 10, submitting a memorandum opposing the hike. BJP workers also staged protests at major Metro stations, including Jayanagar, Vijayanagar, Dasarahalli, Madavara, Halasuru, and Kengeri Bus Terminal.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah criticised the BJP for misleading the public and politicising the issue. Addressing the media on February 13, he said that the fare hike was not a state government decision but the outcome of recommendations by a union government-appointed Fare Revision Committee (FRC). “The opposition party, BJP, is once again misleading the public by spreading false and distorted information to target the state government." Siddaramaiah said.
He clarified that BMRCL is a joint venture between the union and state governments, each holding a 50% stake, and that the fare revisions were decided by the FRC, not the state government.
On one hand, BJP leaders boast that the development of Metro Rail is an achievement of the union government, but on the other hand, when people express anger over fare revisions, they shift the blame onto the state government. This is nothing but deceitful behaviour, CM Siddaramaiah alleged.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy echoed the Chief Minister’s stance, stating on social media that the fare revision was determined by a central committee under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. He pointed out that BJP leaders, who had previously taken credit for the development of Bengaluru’s Metro, were now blaming the Congress-led state government for the fare hike.
BMRCL, established as a joint venture between the Government of India and the Government of Karnataka, operates under the Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002. The current BMRCL Chairman, Srinivas Katikithala, is also the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. In 2020, BMRCL requested the formation of a Fare Fixation Committee, which was constituted in 2024 under the chairmanship of retired Madras High Court Justice R Tharani. The committee, which included representatives from both union and state governments, studied fare structures of metros in Delhi and Chennai before submitting its report in December 2024.
The report recommended fare revisions in line with the network expansion. Since the previous fare revision in 2017, Bengaluru Metro’s operational network has grown from 42.3 km to 76 km. By December 2026, with the completion of Phases 2, 2A, and 2B, the network is expected to expand to 175.55 km.
Despite these justifications, the BJP has demanded an immediate rollback of the fare hike. MLA Ravi Subramanya criticised the government for burdening the public with increased costs. "The Metro is meant for the public. Prioritising profits is not the right approach. The project was implemented to ease Bengaluru’s traffic congestion, and even the union government has provided financial aid for this purpose. The fare increase is unfair," he said.
The official statement by the BMRCL stated that the new ticket prices are fixed at Rs 10 for 0 to 2 km distance; Rs 20 for 2 to 4 km; Rs 30 for 4 to 6 km; Rs 40 for 6 to 8 km; Rs 50 for 8 to 10 km; Rs 60 for 10 to 15 km; Rs 70 for 15 to 20 km; Rs 80 for 20 to 25 km; and Rs 90 for 25 to 30 km. For above 30 km, the ticket price will remain Rs 90. Passengers have complained that the hike disproportionately affects regular commuters, especially students, with some routes seeing fare increases of more than 50%.