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At a Vidhana Soudha press meet, DCM DK Shivakumar defended the state’s stand on Bengaluru Metro fares, dismissed Centre’s letter, and said only the Fare Fixation Committee can decide any revision.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday addressed a press conference at Vidhana Soudha, clarifying the state government’s position on the Bengaluru Metro fare hike and his upcoming visit to Delhi. He said his Delhi trip is mainly to discuss irrigation projects and political matters, while also responding to developments related to Metro fares.
Shivakumar stated that he recieved a cll from Delhi for a meeting regarding the Metro fare issue, but no final decision could be taken. He explained that the Fare Fixation Committee, formed in 2020, is the only authority empowered to decide on fare revisions. The committee includes a chairman, secretary, and members from both the Centre and the state, with R Ramana Reddy representing Karnataka.
He said the committee had submitted its report nearly a year ago, recommending a 5% increase. Based on this, the state had already implemented the suggestions. However, the Centre recently wrote to BMRCL asking to keep its own recommendation on hold. Shivakumar said he had clearly instructed officials to rework the calculations and bring fresh data, stressing that the government’s priority is to support the public.
“The Centre has no right to interfere in this matter. Metro fare decisions do not benefit either the Centre or the state government. Only the committee has the authority,” he said. He added that the state pays GST, unlike Delhi Metro, and any fare revision must consider public burden.
Shivakumar said he never demanded a fare hike and reiterated that any change should benefit commuters. He noted that the board meeting of BMRCL, scheduled for the day, did not take place. He also criticised political reactions, saying objections should have been raised a year ago when the committee submitted its report.
On his Delhi visit, he said discussions would include irrigation projects and party matters. March 10 will mark six years of his tenure as KPCC president, during which he plans to meet senior leaders and present issues faced by the people of Karnataka.
