Karnataka High Court has issued notices to the state government, Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), and the Union government over the non-disclosure of the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) report that formed the basis for a sharp hike in Namma Metro fares earlier this year. The move comes in response to a public interest petition demanding that the report be made accessible to the public.
The petitioner, an elected representative and regular metro user, has argued that despite repeated formal requests to BMRCL, there has been no response or transparency regarding the report’s contents. The report, compiled by a panel led by a retired judge, was submitted in December 2024 after studying fare models in cities like Singapore and Hong Kong. The court directed the respondents to file their replies within two weeks and made an oral observation criticising the apparent inaction by the authorities. The petition claims that BMRCL implemented a steep fare hike of up to 100 per cent in February 2025 without making the FFC’s recommendations public.
The fare revision increased the maximum ticket price from Rs 60 to Rs 90, making Namma Metro the most expensive metro network in the country at the time. Amid strong public backlash, the fares were partially rolled back within five days, capping the increase at approximately 71 per cent. The petition argues that such critical policy changes must be guided by principles of natural justice, transparency, and public accountability—particularly when the burden is passed on to daily commuters. The plea also points to practices in other Indian metro systems, such as those in Mumbai and Hyderabad, where fare-related reports have been released publicly to promote trust and governance.
With the matter scheduled for its next hearing in two weeks, the court’s intervention signals a growing demand for institutional transparency in public transport decisions that directly affect millions. If the BMRCL fails to release the FFC report, it may face further legal compulsion.
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