- By Abhishek Sheoran
- Mon, 10 Mar 2025 12:28 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Namma Metro commuters staged a protest on Sunday against the recent fare hike, claiming that it has severely affected the financial well-being of the middle class. The protesters highlighted that low-income groups, especially women, are bearing the brunt of the price increase. The fare hike has also led to a significant drop in the ridership of Namma Metro. According to a survey conducted by Greenpeace, people in Bengaluru are now spending as much on metro rides as they would on a single meal.
People were seen holding placards saying “we demand rollback of metro hike” during the protest inside the metro coach.
A commuter, cited by Times Now, claimed she was paying double the cost to reach her office, adding that the move has compelled her to resort to bus rides.
“I have to get to Magadi Road to catch the metro, from where I get to Indiranagar Metro Station, near my office. The journey cost would be Rs 28.50 (before hike). But now the same distance costs us Rs 47.50. So the travel fare has essentially doubled. This has affected me deeply. It now costs Rs 100 only for the metro journey. It is a struggle to bear this cost on a daily basis. So now, I have started coming by bus (2.5 hours one-way),” she said.
A Greenpeace India survey found that 72.9 per cent of commuters now allocate as much of their budget to transportation as they do to meals, highlighting a significant financial strain. Furthermore, public transport ridership has decreased by 13 per cent following recent fare increases, indicating that higher costs are discouraging people from using buses, trains, and metros.
This drop in ridership could result in greater dependence on private vehicles, potentially exacerbating traffic congestion and pollution, according to protesters.