- By Priyanka Koul
- Sun, 08 Feb 2026 09:04 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Bengaluru Metro Fare Hike Suspended: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has made an official announcement regarding the temporary suspension of its planned annual automatic fare revision, which was initially scheduled to take effect on February 9.
This sudden change follows widespread public protest and a heated political dispute between the Congress-led state government and representatives from the central government.
BMRCL has confirmed that the current fare structure will remain in place until further notice. The corporation added that its board of directors would meet to review the revised pricing and determine the next course of action.
In a statement, BMRCL said, “Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited hereby informs that the Media Release dated 5 February 2026, announcing the implementation of the Annual Fare Revision with effect from 9 February 2026, has been kept on hold until further orders. The decision on the revised fare will be communicated after the Board’s review.”
This comes after Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya intervened, claiming he had successfully persuaded Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to block the planned fare hike.
Surya criticised the state government, accusing Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s administration of pushing for the fare increase to address “weak finances” resulting from populist guarantee schemes.
Pointing to what he described as “arithmetic errors” in the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) report, Surya argued that Bengaluru already has the most expensive metro system in India and that any further rise in fares would make public transport unaffordable for the middle class.
In retaliation, both Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar have strongly denied any responsibility, labelling the BJP’s claims as a “deliberate attempt to mislead the public.”
The Chief Minister emphasised that under the Metro Railways (Operation & Maintenance) Act, 2002, fares are determined by an independent committee appointed by the Union Government, leaving the state with no legal power to override these decisions.
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Shivakumar, who is also responsible for Bengaluru’s development, pointed out that the BMRCL board had not consulted him about the fare revision and that the chairman of the committee is a central government secretary, effectively placing the matter in the Centre’s hands.
As the political blame game continues, the BMRCL board meeting scheduled for tomorrow is expected to be a crucial session.