Bengaluru Metro users slam ₹90 minimum balance rule, calliIt ‘Exploitative’ after fare hike

Metro commuters across Bengaluru are voicing outrage over BMRCL’s rule requiring a ₹90 minimum balance on smart cards, calling it unfair and burdensome after recent fare hikes.

Bengaluru Metro commuters are increasingly voicing anger over the ₹90 minimum balance rule on their smart cards, calling it an “exploitative and unreasonable policy”, especially following the recent fare hike by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL).

Several frustrated passengers took to social media to share their experiences, highlighting how the system blocks travel even if they have enough balance to cover the fare. One commuter posted, “Even if my Metro card has ₹89, I can’t pay ₹10 for my journey. The gate simply won’t open. The minimum balance must be ₹90. Is there any solution other than topping up?”

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Another user called the rule a “serious scam,” claiming that BMRCL is holding commuter money unnecessarily. “After the fare hike, they increased the minimum balance to ₹90, which equals two-way commute fare. The money stays unused while BMRCL earns interest on it,” the commuter wrote.

This minimum balance is a serious scam. After fare hike they made it Rs.90/- . Which is almost like 2 way commute
This has to be done away with. So much of interest earned by corporation but unusable money for us @Chrishttps://t.co/412auNk0WV

— Siddharth (@Ss2787) November 5, 2025

Some went further, accusing the Metro authority of “hoarding passenger funds.” One angry post read, “BMRCL is acting like a mafia. No other metro forces passengers to keep ₹90 blocked. Poor and middle-class commuters are suffering.”

Many shared personal examples of how the rule causes unwanted top-ups. A commuter explained, “I wanted to travel from Nagasandra to Sandal Soap Factory. My card had ₹85, enough for a ₹40 trip, but it didn’t work. I was forced to top up ₹100. My ₹180 got stuck.”

Frequent travellers argue that there should be no minimum balance at all, saying such a rule only benefits the corporation, not commuters. “The card should work based on actual fare, not on a fixed blocked balance,” another user wrote.

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The growing backlash comes at a time when public discontent over the Metro fare hike is already high. Political leaders and civic activists have also begun questioning whether BMRCL’s policies are transparent and commuter-friendly.

So far, BMRCL has not issued an official response to the widespread criticism, but the issue has sparked a fresh debate on passenger rights, digital transparency, and public accountability in Bengaluru’s urban transport system.