Namma Metro fares are expected to rise by up to 5% starting February this year. This move comes after recommendations by the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC), which was made public.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) had earlier implemented the previous hike after fully accepting the FFC’s report, whose recommendations are mandatory under Section 33 of the Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002. BMRCL, in February 2025, revised ticket prices for the first time since 2017, with fares rising by as much as 71% on certain routes.
As per the FFC report submitted to the BMRCL last year, metro fares can be increased by up to 5% every year beginning February 2026. BMRCL had proposed an annual, automatic fare revision based on a transparent formula to steadily improve its operating ratio, warning that without such revisions, its net loss could reach ₹577 crore by 2029–30, according to Deccan Herald.
Such regular hikes could place a financial burden on daily passengers, including office workers and students.
“Metro travel is meant to be affordable, not a premium service,” New Indian Express quoted Vinod Kumar, a daily commuter, as saying. He added, “After last year’s hike, this feels like adding insult to injury.”
Venkatesh, another regular passenger, told the publication, “It may not be cheap, but calling it a luxury service is a joke when trains are packed beyond capacity during peak hours. It’s either pay more for the Metro or lose hours stuck in traffic. Either way, citizens are paying the price.”
Another potential fare hike could push commuters back toward buses or private vehicles, further worsening traffic congestion on the city’s already crowded roads.
Meanwhile, Mobility expert Satya Arikutharm slammed the proposed fare increase, calling it highly unjust and claiming that commuters are already paying nearly 32% extra because of what he believes is an incorrect application of the fare calculation formula.
He suggested that the lack of strong opposition to the existing fare structure may have emboldened BMRCL to consider another hike, and stressed that elected representatives should support the public and ensure greater accountability from the Metro authorities.
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