Bengaluru Metro ridership dropped significantly after the fare hike, with commuters cutting down on travel while authorities remain noncommittal on solutions.
Published Mar 15, 2025 | 12:00 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 15, 2025 | 12:00 PM
Bengaluru commuters feel the pinch as metro ridership declines (Supplied)
Synopsis: The hike in Bengaluru Metro fares has caused a significant drop in its ridership. For most people in Bengaluru, metro travel was once a cost-effective and reliable alternative to the city’s notorious traffic. However, the fare hike has forced some to reconsider their choices.
Following the hike in Bengaluru Metro fares, ridership has taken a significant hit, raising questions about the long-term sustainability of the fare revision.
When Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) announced the fare hike earlier this year, the move was met with resistance from daily commuters and transport activists alike.
A few months in, the revised fares have led to a significant decline in ridership.
The decline in passenger numbers is more than just a statistic; it reflects a shift in commuter behaviour and raises concerns about the accessibility of public transport in the city.
#Bengaluru metro riders protest fare hike!
With ridership down 13% & many struggling with rising costs, commuters staged a protest inside the metro, demanding a rollback. A Greenpeace India survey reveals 72.9% now spend as much on transport as a meal. https://t.co/6bwLCbKgMf— South First (@TheSouthfirst) March 10, 2025
A recent survey by Greenpeace India, conducted in February and March across metro stations and nearby markets, sought to assess the impact of the fare hike.
The survey, which gathered responses from 505 metro users, revealed that 75.4 percent of respondents reduced non-essential travel due to increased fares. Additionally, 82.4 percent of commuters believed the hike was unjust and adversely affected their mobility.
Aakiz Faroouk, campaigner with Greenpeace India, expressed concerns about the affordability of public transport.
“The objective was to understand how the fare hike affected metro users and their travel behaviour. The findings are clear — people are cutting down on metro travel, and the burden of affordability is shifting them away from public transport,” Faroouk told South First.
Official BMRCL reports support these concerns. Bengaluru Metro’s daily ridership, which stood at 8.6-8.7 lakh on 9 February, had plummeted to 6.68 lakh by 9-10 March.
“On average, ridership has dropped by 1 lakh per day since the hike,” Faroouk noted, citing external reports that indicate an overall decline of 13-16 percent.
“The metro was supposed to be a viable alternative to private vehicles and traffic congestion, but the fare hike has made it inaccessible for many,” he said.
For most people in Bengaluru, metro travel was once a cost-effective and reliable alternative to the city’s notorious traffic. However, the fare hike has forced some to reconsider their choices.
Meghna Sharma, a marketing executive who used the metro for her daily commute, shared her dilemma. “It was convenient, but my monthly transport cost has shot up. I’ve started taking buses more often, even though they are slower,” she said.
Bengaluru now has the MOST EXPENSIVE metro fares in India. A worker earning ₹10,000/month now would spend ₹2,500+ on the metro alone. How can this be called “public” transport if the public can’t afford it? .@OfficialBMRCL #RevokeMetroFareHike .@clifroz pic.twitter.com/80Y30YGLAE
— ಗೋಡಂಬಿ ಚಾಲುಕ್ಯ (@cattosapien) March 9, 2025
Others, however, feel they have little choice but to continue using the metro despite the increased costs. “I live in Whitefield and work in MG Road. The metro is still the fastest way to get to work,” said IT professional Rahul Prasad. “But I’ve started carpooling on weekends instead of using the metro for personal travel.”
The survey results reinforce these sentiments, highlighting that while some commuters have shifted to alternative transport, others have simply reduced their overall metro usage, particularly for discretionary travel.
Beyond the decline in ridership, the fare hike has also affected those who depend on metro commuters for their livelihood — namely, auto-rickshaw drivers stationed outside metro stations.
“Earlier, I would get many customers coming out of the metro, especially during peak hours,” said Shankar, an auto driver near Indiranagar Metro Station. “Now, fewer people are taking the metro, and many prefer to walk a little further to find a cheaper ride.”
Ride-hailing services have also noticed changes in commuter behaviour. Some users are opting for BMTC (Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation) buses instead of relying on a metro-auto combination, while others have turned to cycling or walking for shorter distances.
Near MG Road Metro Station, auto driver Manjunath noted a decline in passengers taking autos from the station. “People who used to take an auto from here now walk or use shared cabs instead. We wait longer to get customers,” he said.
Metro authorities, however, maintain that the fare hike was inevitable to cover operational costs and sustain expansion projects.
While they acknowledge a temporary dip in ridership, they believe it will stabilise in the coming months. “Every metro system goes through an adjustment period after a fare revision.
Commuters will return as they realise the metro remains the most efficient mode of transport,” said a senior official from BMRCL, on condition of anonymity.
When asked about the ridership drop, the official noted that fluctuations in footfall were expected post-hike but insisted that long-term numbers would stabilise. “We are monitoring the situation, and ridership trends tend to recover over time,” he added.
Despite these reassurances, Greenpeace India has formally presented its survey findings to Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy. “But the state and Union governments continue to pass the responsibility between each other, while it’s the public that suffers,” Faroouk pointed out.
Bengaluru Metro’s revised fares have sparked debates about affordability when compared to other metro systems in India.
In Delhi, for instance, the fare per kilometre is significantly lower due to government subsidies. Chennai Metro, despite being relatively new, has managed to keep fares more affordable than Bengaluru.
The concern among activists and transport experts is that a sustained decline in metro ridership could push more people toward private vehicles, exacerbating Bengaluru’s already severe traffic congestion.
As commuters grapple with increased travel costs, the larger question remains: Should public transport systems prioritise financial sustainability over accessibility?
For now, the numbers suggest that the fare hike has deterred a significant portion of Bengaluru’s metro users, and unless authorities step in with corrective measures, the long-term impact could be severe.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
