Following a strong backlash from commuters and sharp political exchange between the ruling Congress government in Karnataka and the BJP, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) has put on hold the proposed annual fare revision for Namma Metro, which was scheduled to take effect on February 9, 2026.
In a statement issued on Sunday, February 8, BMRCL said its earlier notification dated February 5 announcing the fare revision had been kept in abeyance until further orders. The corporation said the revised fares would be communicated after a review by its board, without indicating a timeline.
The decision follows widespread commuter backlash and a heated exchange between the Congress and the BJP over who was responsible for the proposed hike. While the BJP accused the state government of burdening commuters, the Congress hit back, blaming the Union government and accusing BJP leaders of misleading the public.
According to The Hindu, the fare revision was paused following a communication from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). The corporation had proposed a zone-wise increase of Rs 1 to Rs 5 across 10 fare slabs under its Annual Automatic Fare Revision mechanism. Though projected as a marginal hike, the proposal triggered strong resistance, particularly in the wake of the steep fare hike in February 2025, when some slabs saw increases of over 100%, later capped at 71% after protests.
BJP leaders Tejasvi Surya and R. Ashok claimed credit for the rollback, asserting that the Union government intervened to halt the fare hike.
Thanking Union Minister for Power and Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Manohar Lal Khattar, he said: “This demonstrates the Union government's commitment to commuter welfare by preventing unreasonable fare increases. The key question now is whether the State Government will act in the citizens’ interest,” he said.
He claimed that the fare fixation committee was established by the Union government only after receiving four formal requests from the state government.
However, earlier, Chief Minister K Siddharamaiah had accused the BJP of political deception and shifting blame. He said metro fares are determined by an independent Fare Fixation Committee constituted by the Union government under the Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002, and that the State government has no legal authority to override its recommendations.
He had accused the BJP-led Union government of systematically disadvantaging Karnataka through reduced tax devolution, delayed grants, and now higher metro fares.