The move to freeze the fare revision puts to rest the political game of tug-of-war and a major public outcry. Prior, the BMRCL had revealed a 5% "automatic annual hike" which would have seen lower charges reaching up to ₹11 and maximum charges reaching ₹95. This has only served to cement Bengaluru’s role as India’s highest cost metro system.
The Role of the Central Government
The breakthrough was after Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and Bengaluru Central MP P.C. Mohan met with Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. After their appeal, the Minister ordered officials to suspend the hike in the interim. "The hike would have rendered public transport distant for lakhs of citizens.
The Union Minister has ordered the hike on hold and stated that he would take the recommended Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) personally through review," said Tejasvi Surya.
ನಮ್ಮ ಮೆಟ್ರೋ ಟಿಕೆಟ್ ದರ ಹೆಚ್ಚಳವನ್ನು ತಾತ್ಕಾಲಿಕವಾಗಿ ಸ್ಥಗಿತಗೊಳಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಮಾಹಿತಿಗಾಗಿ ಮಾಧ್ಯಮ ಪ್ರಕಟಣೆಯನ್ನು ಪರಿಶೀಲಿಸಿ.
— ನಮ್ಮ ಮೆಟ್ರೋ (@OfficialBMRCL) February 8, 2026
Namma Metro fare hike kept on hold. For more details pl check the Media Release pic.twitter.com/NQ330tmy2I
Key Highlights of the Suspension
- No Price Change: The current fare rate (beginning at ₹10) will continue without notice.
- Maintenance of Discounts: The discount of 5% peak-hour and 10% non-peak hours for smart card and NCMC users will be continued as usual.
- Board Review: BMRCL’s Board of Directors has to discuss the pricing slabs once again and take into account the commuters and stakeholders’ feedback before making a final decision.
A Heated Political Context
The fare hike had set off a bitter debate between the State and Central governments. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier argued that the State did not have the legal authority to overrule the decision of "binding" recommendations by Union-appointed Fare Fixation Committee. By contrast, BJP leaders asserted the state had a voting block on the BMRCL board and could stop the hike if it really wanted to.
The "automatic" formula has been stopped by the Union Ministry, allowing city's 800,000+ daily riders much-needed financial breathing room. What This Means for You. Do not pay more if you are on the Namma Metro from tomorrow. Your existing smart card, QR ticket and NCMC card will be charged at existing rate. The BMRCL has rescinded a previous media release and has reiterated that a decision regarding the matter will only be confirmed after board review.
