Bengaluru: Bengaluru commuters may soon have to spend more on their daily journeys, as Namma Metro fares are likely to see an annual increase starting in February, up to five per cent, based on the Fare Fixation Committee’s recommendations.

The committee has proposed an automatic year-on-year fare revision, allowing metro fares to increase by up to five per cent annually, or a lower amount as calculated through the prescribed formula.

The revised fares would come into effect after the completion of one year from the implementation of the committee’s recommendations by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL).

Discounts and Rounding rules to Continue

As per the recommendations, all fares will be rounded off to the nearest rupee. Off-peak hour discounts, along with concessions on Sundays and three national holidays, are expected to continue on the revised fares for passengers travelling using smart cards.

The prospect of annual fare hikes has drawn sharp criticism from regular commuters, who argue that public transport is steadily becoming unaffordable for the average citizen. Many fear that another increase, coming so soon after the steep 2025 revision, will further strain household budgets, particularly for those who depend on the metro for daily travel.

Steep 2025 Fare Hike

This comes after a major fare revision rolled out by BMRCL in February 2025, when ticket prices were increased by as much as 71 per cent. That hike made Namma Metro the costliest metro system in the country and sparked widespread criticism from commuters.

This decision follows Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s intervention after concerns were raised about the recent metro fare hike being excessive.

Earlier, the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) had faced significant public backlash post-fare hike, resulting in a sharp decline in ridership. Since the fare increase took effect on February 9, 2025, the metro system has seen a drop of approximately 1 lakh passengers in over three days.

From February 9 to February 12, the metro's daily ridership fell from 8.6 lakh to 7.6 lakh, marking an 11.63% decrease. The fare hike, which raised ticket prices by over 50%, is being criticised by the public.