Namma Metro Ticket Prices To Go Up? BMRCL Asks For Public Feedback By October 21

Namma Metro is set to revise its fares for the second time since its inception in 2011. On Wednesday, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) issued a public notice, inviting citizens to share their suggestions with the Metro Rail Fare Fixation Committee by October 21. Feedback can be submitted via email at [email protected] or sent by mail to the committee's chairperson at the 3rd Floor, 'C' Block, BMTC Complex, KH Road, Shanthinagar, Bengaluru-560027.

This is the first fare fixation committee established by the union government under sections 33 and 34 of the Metro Railway (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2002.

The last fare increase by BMRCL took place in 2017, which saw a rise of 10-15%. At present, fares range from Rs 10 to Rs 60, with the highest fare applied for the longest journeys on both the Purple and Green lines. Although the Whitefield-Challaghatta stretch spans 43.49 km and the Silk Institute-Nagasandra line measures 30.32 km, the fare for both remains capped at Rs 60. Passengers using smartcards or QR code tickets receive a 5% discount.

A senior BMRCL official noted that a fare revision is "long overdue." BMRCL's farebox revenue rose from Rs 422.61 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 573.91 crore in 2023-24. However, expenditures per kilometer also increased, from Rs 6.98 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 8.31 crore in 2023-24, not accounting for the Whitefield line which opened in March 2023. While the BMRCL reported a profit before depreciation of Rs 14.21 crore last year, it incurred pre-tax losses totaling Rs 222.45 crore.

"Our expenses are mounting with the expansion of new lines, and we also need to manage our debt, making a fare revision essential," the official stated. The committee is anticipated to present its fare hike recommendations in the next few months.