Bengaluru Residents Get Relief As Namma Metro Decides Against Fare Hike For Now

Usually, the positive image of the Metro as an environmentally friendly and efficient mode of public transport is often overshadowed by frequent fare hikes. However, this time, despite rising fuel prices and increasing living expenses across Bengaluru, Namma Metro has decided to keep ticket prices unchanged for the time being.

The announcement comes as a much-needed relief for Bengaluru residents, many of whom have been grappling with mounting costs triggered by ongoing conflicts in West Asia. The geopolitical tensions have contributed to a rise in petrol and diesel prices, further driving up household expenses. Against this backdrop, BMRCL's decision has offered commuters a temporary respite.

The issue of revising Metro fares was officially discussed during a Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) board meeting held on April 23. The meeting was attended by senior officials representing both the Central government and the Karnataka government.

Earlier, in February, BMRCL had officially announced its annual fare revision. The proposed revision included a marginal increase ranging from a minimum of Rs 1 to a maximum of Rs 5 across the 10 fare zones on the 96.10-km Namma Metro network. Under the revised structure, the fare for the 0-2 km slab (Fare Zone 1) was set to increase from Rs 10 to Rs 11, while the maximum fare for journeys above 30 km (Fare Zone 10) would rise from Rs 90 to Rs 95. Similarly, for distances between 15 and 20 km, the fare would increase from Rs 70 to Rs 74, according to BMRCL.

At that time, BMRCL also clarified that all existing discounts for smart card and National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) users would continue. These include a 5 per cent discount during peak hours, a 10 per cent discount during non-peak hours, and a 10 per cent discount on Sundays and three designated national holidays.

The annual increase of up to 5 per cent was also proposed for tourist cards and group tickets. For tourist day passes, the one-day smart card fare was to increase from Rs 300 to Rs 313, while the mobile QR fare would go up from Rs 250 to Rs 263. The three-day pass would rise from Rs 600 to Rs 628 for smart card users and from Rs 550 to Rs 578 for mobile QR users. Likewise, the five-day pass would increase from Rs 900 to Rs 943 for smart cards and from Rs 850 to Rs 893 for mobile QR tickets.

However, the proposed fare hike drew widespread criticism from commuters and political leaders alike. Calling it a "daylight robbery," Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya demanded the formation of a new panel to review Metro fares. He argued that the 2025 revision had already made Namma Metro the costliest metro network in India, with the maximum ticket price rising from Rs 60 to Rs 90.