Bengaluru Metro fare hike: Crucial BMRCL board meet today, final call expected

With the fare increase put on temporary hold, BMRCL’s 14-member board will meet at Shanthinagar at 4 pm to decide whether the hike will continue, be revised, or be completely withdrawn.

The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is set to hold a crucial meeting of its Board of Directors today at 4 pm at its headquarters in Shanthinagar, following the temporary suspension of the recent metro fare hike. The outcome of this meeting is expected to determine whether the increased ticket prices will be continued, revised, or completely rolled back.

The 14-member BMRCL board will participate in this high-level discussion. Representing the central government, the chairman and four senior officials will attend the meeting, with some members joining through video conferencing. From the state government side, five senior officials, including the BMRCL Managing Director, will be present. In addition, four directors from BMRCL will take part, making it a full-strength board deliberation.

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The metro fare revision, which directly impacts lakhs of daily commuters, will be the primary agenda of the meeting. In recent days, the fare hike had triggered widespread public criticism, with commuters, civil society groups, and political leaders raising concerns over the financial burden on passengers. In response to the growing backlash, BMRCL temporarily put the revised fares on hold.

Sources said that the Fare Fixation Committee may also be involved in the discussions, as the board weighs three key options,  whether to go ahead with the existing hike, introduce modifications to reduce passenger burden, or withdraw the hike entirely.

A final decision is expected to be announced soon after the meeting.

With the fate of metro fares hanging in the balance, lakhs of commuters across Bengaluru are eagerly awaiting the outcome of today’s board meeting, hoping for relief from the recent increase.