New Delhi / Bengaluru, Feb 11 (IANS): Tejasvi Surya, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Bangalore South, on Tuesday raised concerns over the recent Bengaluru Metro fare hike in the Lok Sabha, urging a thorough review of the pricing structure.

Speaking to IANS, Surya described the fare increase as a "major burden" on Bengaluru’s commuters and called for rationalisation of the revised structure. "I have requested the authorities to reassess the unscientific recommendations made by the Fare Fixation Committee. The common man and the middle class are being severely affected. I raised this issue in Parliament today," he stated.

Elaborating further, the BJP leader explained that the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) had sought a review of Metro fares from the Fare Fixation Committee. However, the committee recommended a significant increase, with fares at some stations rising by over 100 per cent. "This steep hike has made daily commuting unaffordable for many residents, and it needs urgent reconsideration," he told IANS.

The revised fare structure, implemented by BMRCL on February 9, introduced different pricing for peak and non-peak hours. Discounts have been offered to commuters using smart cards. Despite these measures, the fare hike has drawn criticism from several quarters, with concerns raised over its impact on daily commuters.

As per Section 34 of the Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002, a Fare Fixation Committee -- chaired by a former High Court judge -- was constituted to propose a revised fare structure. The committee submitted its recommendations on December 16 last year, and following approval by the BMRCL Board, the new fares came into effect on Sunday, February 9.

The fare starts from Rs 10 for travel of 2 km up to Rs 90 for travel till 30 km.

BMRCL has defended the decision, stating that the Fare Fixation Committee sought to strike a balance between affordability for passengers and the financial sustainability of Metro operations.