Mon May 26 16:40:54 UTC 2025: **Bangalore Metro Fare Hike Under Scrutiny After RTI Reveals Costly Study Tour with No Public Report**

**Bengaluru, May 26, 2025** – A recent Right to Information (RTI) application has ignited controversy surrounding the February 9th fare hike on Bangalore’s Namma Metro. The RTI reveals that the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) spent ₹12.97 lakh on a six-day trip to Singapore and Hong Kong for members of the fare fixation committee (FFC) and officials prior to the fare revision, which has now made Namma Metro the most expensive metro system in India.

The fare hike, the first in over seven years, saw maximum fares increase by 50% (from ₹60 to ₹90), with some stage-wise increases nearing 100%, eventually capped at 71% after commuter protests.

According to the RTI response received by Madhan Reddy, a daily metro commuter, the three-member FFC, tasked with studying fare structures, traveled to Singapore and Hong Kong in late November 2024. Domestic metro systems in Delhi and Chennai were also visited. While the ₹12.97 lakh expenditure was confirmed, BMRCL declined to provide a breakdown of costs for its officials.

Crucially, when Mr. Reddy requested a copy of a post-tour report detailing findings and recommendations, BMRCL stated that no separate report was produced. Information gathered during the trip was purportedly included in the FFC’s report, which has not been made public.

“The BMRCL has not only increased fares steeply but is also hiding crucial data from the public,” said Mr. Reddy. “Millions of people rely on BMTC and Namma Metro for affordable travel. Such a sudden, disproportionate hike hurts the working class and poor commuters the most. ₹12.97 lakh for a 6-day foreign trip without documented findings raises questions.”

The fare revision was based on the FFC report submitted on December 16, 2024. Despite multiple requests from commuters and civil society groups, BMRCL has refused to release the report. A separate RTI filed by *The Hindu* with the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) seeking the FFC report was transferred to BMRCL, which has yet to respond.

Transport expert M.N. Srihari criticized the lack of transparency, stating, “The absence of a post-tour report and lack of public access to the final recommendation undermines the credibility of the entire exercise.” He added, “Public transport should not be run like a private enterprise. Commuters deserve to know how decisions affecting their daily lives are made. Not just BMRCL, government is also responsible if the report is not made public.”

The controversy raises serious questions about the rationale behind the fare hike, the transparency of BMRCL’s decision-making process, and the value derived from the costly foreign study tour.

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