It has been a month since the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) implemented the hike in metro ticket prices. Over the past month, many people have opted for other modes of transportation instead of the metro. According to data available on the BMRCL website, the number of passengers has decreased significantly. In January, the number of passengers was 2,49,14,736, but in February, it dropped to 2,09,90,894 – a decrease of almost 40 lakh.

A BMRCL official responded to the decline in passenger numbers, stating, “Before the price hike, the average number of passengers on weekdays was between 8.5 lakh to 9 lakh. After the hike, the number of passengers has certainly decreased. Now, the average number is between 7.5 lakh to 8 lakh per day.”

The price hike was implemented on February 9, with ticket prices increasing by 100%. This led to protests from passengers and political leaders, demanding the reversal of the hike. However, the hike could not be reversed. In response to the public anger, CM Siddaramaiah issued instructions to the metro authorities on February 13 to revise the extraordinary fare hike. As a result, the metro announced that the fare hike would be reduced to 71% instead of the previously proposed 100%.