Tejasvi Surya Moves HC Over Metro Fare Report Secrecy
Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya has filed a writ petition in the Karnataka High Court, demanding the public disclosure of the Metro Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) report that recommended a sharp fare hike for Namma Metro. The petition is scheduled to be heard on July 7.
Metro Transparency
Surya’s plea alleges that the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and the state government have arbitrarily withheld the report from the public domain. He described the secrecy surrounding the report as “opaque and unjustified”, especially since similar documents are publicly accessible in other metro systems across India. According to him, the FFC report was financed with public funds and involved foreign study tours—making its concealment even more objectionable.
Fare Report
The fare hike in question was implemented on February 9, raising the maximum metro fare from ₹60 to ₹90. The increase drew strong criticism from commuters, many of whom have since reported reduced usage due to affordability concerns. Surya contended that commuters have the right to know the basis for such a steep revision and called out the state’s lack of transparency. He emphasized that there was no issue of national security that justified withholding a public transport report and demanded that both BMRCL and the state government be held accountable.
Surya HC
In his petition, Surya argued that affordable and accountable public transport is a citizen’s right, and any fare revision must be backed by transparent decision-making. He stated that the FFC report’s release is not just a legal necessity but a moral one, especially in a rapidly growing city like Bengaluru where millions rely on metro services daily.
If the High Court upholds his petition, it could set a precedent for transparency in fare governance across metro systems in India. Surya maintained that Bengaluru must lead the way in establishing a commuter-first approach to public transport policy.
