Ticket price revision likely on Mumbai Metro lines 2A and 7 as govt seeks to set up Fare Fixation Committee

The request follows months of internal discussions within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which had first forwarded the proposal to the state government last year. Officials said the move was necessitated by the Metro Railways Operations and Maintenance Act, which makes the formation of an FFC compulsory for any structured examination or potential revision of metro fares.

3-member panel

Under Sections 33 and 34 of the Act, the central government must appoint a three-member panel comprising a serving or retired high court judge as chairperson, and two senior bureaucrats of additional secretary rank or equivalent, one nominated by the Centre and one by the state. The committee’s mandate is to independently examine the existing fare structure and recommend a revised framework, if required, after assessing operational data and financial viability.

While MMRDA has publicly maintained that the committee’s formation is merely a procedural requirement, sources said the initiation of the FFC process is widely viewed as the first concrete step toward altering fares, with an increase being the most likely outcome.

“An FFC is never called casually. It is convened when the administration needs to prepare the ground for a change in fares. Given the revenue shortfall and cost pressures, an upward revision is almost inevitable,” a senior official told The Indian Express.

Metro Lines 2A (Andheri West–Dahisar) and 7 (Gundavali–Dahisar), which run parallel to the Western Express Highway, began full operations in April 2022. Envisioned as key mass transit corridors to decongest the western suburbs, the combined 35.1-km stretch was expected to draw 9 lakh daily passengers in its first year, according to the Detailed Project Report.

However, weekday ridership has plateaued at around 2.65 lakh passengers, significantly below projections. Officials said this gap has strained revenue projections and put additional pressure on MMRDA’s operational arm, the Maha Mumbai Metro Operations Corporation Ltd (MMMOCL). “Even with rising ridership, the numbers are far short of what these lines need for financial break-even. The cost of staff, energy, maintenance, and system upkeep is substantially higher than the farebox revenue,” an official said.

Adding to the financial strain is the comparatively low fare structure on Lines 2A and 7. Currently, commuters pay Rs 20 for distances between 3 km and 12 km, the lowest among Mumbai’s Metro corridors.

On Metro Line 1 (Versova–Ghatkopar), the fare for a similar distance band is Rs 40. On the newly opened underground Metro Line 3, the fare for 8–12 km is also Rs 40, with higher slabs for longer distances.

Call for ‘realistic’ fare structure
Officials said the gap has prompted internal debate on whether the current fare structure is sustainable in the long term. “The pricing was kept low during the launch phase to attract passengers and ensure modal shift. But with operational costs mounting, a realistic fare structure will have to be examined,” an official said.

Once the Centre approves the state’s proposal, the three-member panel will be constituted and will begin its review process. The committee is expected to study the ridership data since launch, the operating costs, including energy charges and maintenance overheads, comparative fare benchmarks across Metro systems, revenue trends and projected deficits, and commuter affordability and modal shift objectives.

The FFC will then prepare a detailed report with its recommendations. The state government must approve any revision before it can be notified and implemented.

An MMRDA official said the authority remains committed to transparency and statutory compliance. “The formation of an FFC does not automatically mean fares will go up. The process is legally mandated. The committee will conduct a professional review, after which the state government will take a final decision,” the official said.

Commuter anxiety and expectations

The move has already sparked conversation among commuters, many of whom fear higher travel costs amid rising living expenses in the city. Regular passengers on Lines 2A and 7 said the current fares are one of the few affordable aspects of their daily commute, especially for those travelling longer distances between the western suburbs.

Urban transport officials, however, say the revision may be unavoidable. “Fare revision is a routine part of metro operations worldwide. What’s important is transparency, predictability, and ensuring that low-income commuters are not priced out,” said a senior transport planner.

With the proposal now with the Union government, the formation of the committee is expected to proceed in the coming weeks. If constituted, this would be the first formal fare review for Lines 2A and 7 since their launch three years ago.

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