Relief for Bengaluru metro commuters as fare hike put on hold: Tejasvi Surya

Bengaluru, : Lakhs of Namma Metro commuters in Bengaluru heaved a sigh of relief after Member of Parliament Tejasvi Surya announced that the proposed metro fare hike has been temporarily put on hold following intervention from the Union Government.

Taking to social media platform X, Tejasvi Surya informed that he had a detailed telephonic conversation with Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar regarding the issue. The MP said he requested immediate intervention to stop the “unjust” fare hike that was scheduled to come into effect from Monday.

“Bengaluru already has the costliest metro fares in India. Another hike will make public transport unaffordable for millions of citizens and defeat the very purpose of mass transit,” Surya said in his post.

According to him, Union Minister Khattar responded positively and assured that the proposed fare revision will not be implemented for now. “The Union Minister has directed that the hike be temporarily stayed. Therefore, the increased fares will not be applicable from Monday,” Surya stated.

The MP further added that the minister has promised a personal review of the recommendations made by the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC). If required, a fresh committee may also be constituted based on a formal request from the Karnataka government.

Expressing gratitude for the swift action, Surya said, “I thank the Union Minister for his prompt and sensitive response. This is yet another example of how the central government prioritises the welfare of commuters and stops unreasonable decisions of the Congress government in Karnataka.”

He clarified that the present decision is only a temporary relief and urged the state government to take immediate steps for a permanent and fair solution. “The ball is now in the state government’s court. They must formally initiate the process for constituting a new FFC and ensure rational fare revision that is commuter-friendly,” he said.

Surya also directly questioned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the issue. “Will the state government act in the interest of citizens or hide behind excuses again? The Chief Minister must respond and start the process immediately,” he demanded.

The proposed hike had triggered widespread criticism from commuters and civic groups who argued that steep fares would discourage people from using metro services. With this intervention, Bengaluru residents have received at least temporary relief, while the final decision now depends on the state government’s next move.