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Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Thursday that the state government had no role in the recent Bengaluru Metro fare hike and that the decision was made by an independent committee.
"We don't have any role... There is a committee for deciding fares. We have expressed our opinion, but the committee will take the final decision," Shivakumar told reporters. His statement comes amid public debates on the fare increase and its impact on commuters. Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is a joint venture between the Central and Karnataka governments, with each holding a 50 per cent stake. According to a statement, officials from both central and state governments hold positions as managing directors and directors. Since BMRCL is an autonomous entity, the state government does not have complete control over it. "Since there had been no fare revision since 2017, BMRCL approached the central government to request a revision. If the state government had the authority to determine fares, why would BMRCL seek approval from the central government instead of us?" a statement from Karnataka's CMO pointed out. It further explained that in response, the central government formed a fare revision committee headed by retired Madras High Court judge R. Tharani, which included representatives from both central and state governments. The committee was constituted on September 16, 2024, and was given three months to submit its recommendations. "During these three months, the committee consulted not only with BMRCL officials but also travelled to Delhi and Chennai to discuss fare structures and operations with officials from their metro rail corporations," the statement informed. The committee studied fare structures set in June 2017, collected passenger feedback, and reviewed BMRCL's financial status. On December 16, 2024, the committee submitted its final report. Back in June 2017, when BMRCL fixed the fare, only 42.3 km of the first phase of the Metro was operational. Now, with the partial completion of Phase 2, the Metro network has expanded. By December 2026, the Metro corridors (2, 2A, and 2B) will be fully completed, increasing the network to 175.55 km. The committee submitted its report in 10 chapters after considering all aspects related to Bengaluru Metro. It also studied the fare structures of other metro systems across the country. Currently, Bengaluru Metro's minimum fare is Rs 10, and the maximum fare is Rs 60, whereas Mumbai Metro's minimum fare is Rs 10, and the maximum is Rs 80. Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also raised concerns over anomalies in the revised fare structure, pointing out that some fares have more than doubled on certain routes. Taking to social media platform X, Siddaramaiah directed BMRCL's Managing Director to address these issues urgently and reduce fares where increases are deemed abnormal. "The way Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has implemented the Bengaluru Metro fare revision has led to anomalies, with fares more than doubling in certain sections. I have asked the MD of BMRCL to urgently address these issues and reduce fares where increases are abnormal. Commuters' interests must be safeguarded," Siddaramaiah wrote in his post. (ANI)
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