Commuters cry foul despite recalibration of fares, say BMRCL committing ‘daylight robbery’

Kumar, a regular metro commuter, criticised the steep fare increase. “The earlier fare from RV Road to Trinity was ₹33.25, then it was increased to ₹57, and now it has been further raised to ₹60. This is ridiculous!” he wrote on X, calling the hike unjustified.

Similarly, Sreejith Pai pointed out inconsistencies in the new fare structure, alleging that BMRCL was overcharging commuters beyond the limits recommended by the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC).

“Earlier, the fare was ₹33.25, then it increased to ₹60. Even after yesterday’s commitment of a maximum 71% hike, it’s still the same at 81%. The FFC recommended a 45% increase, yet BMRCL is charging almost double,” he wrote.

Several other passengers also voiced their frustration, with many calling the fare hike “daylight robbery” and questioning the rationale behind the calculations. Some demanded greater transparency from BMRCL in explaining how the new fares were determined.

Speaking to The Indian Express, a BMRCL spokesperson said, “We reviewed some of these complaints and found out that some commuters are comparing the fare structures of smart cards (which have discounts) to that of QR tickets where discounts have been revoked. The 5 per cent discount on QR tickets was removed and such tickets are costing 5 per cent more. Meanwhile, after recalibration of fare structure, the maximum hike has been slashed by 30 per cent and we have restricted it to 70 per cent as per the FFC.”

According to BMRCL, errors were identified in fare calculations across 450 different station-to-station combinations. These discrepancies led to abnormal fare hikes in certain routes, prompting a review and recalibration of the fare structure.

As per BMRCL estimates, around three lakh passengers (46 per cent) are expected to benefit after the rationalisation of the fare structure. However, the maximum fare remains at Rs 90, making Bengaluru metro the costliest in India.

Bengaluru metro, which usually records a daily ridership of over eight lakh, has seen a dip of nearly 1 lakh passengers since the fare hike kicked in on February 9. In the last four days, the ridership has dipped by 11 per cent, indicating a significant drop due to the fare hike.