Bengaluru metro fare to go up from Feb 9
Bengaluru (PTI): The Bengaluru metro on Thursday announced an annual automatic fare revision for Namma Metro, which will come into effect from February 9.
The hike is somewhere between four per cent and 10 per cent, ranging from Re 1 to Rs 5 based on the distance.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) said that it is being implemented as per the First Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) constituted under the Metro Railways (Operation & Maintenance) Act, 2002.
The BMRCL, in a release, said the FFC, while recommending the revised fare structure, had observed that "revision of fare after 7.5 years and optimisation of fare zones from 29 to 10 has resulted in an average increase of 51.55 per cent."
To avoid such steep increases in the future, the committee recommended "to revise the fare annually by having a transparent Annual Automatic Fare Revision Formula linked with O&M cost or 5 per cent per annum, whichever is lower by rounding off to the nearest rupee."
It added that this mechanism helps with the introduction of a small annual fare revision.
"In keeping with the recommendations of the FFC, which is binding on BMRCL, it is hereby notified that an Annual Automatic Fare Revision will be implemented with effect from 9 February 2026," the corporation said.
Explaining the basis for the revision, BMRCL said, "Based on the Audited Financial Data for the financial year 2024-25 compared with base data of the financial year 2023-24, the formula-based index indicates a cost increase of 10.20 per cent, however, the fare revision has been restricted to only 5 per cent, in line with the FFC stipulation."
The corporation emphasised that commuter concessions would continue all existing commuter-friendly discounts for smart-card/NCMC users, including 5 per cent discount during peak hours, 10 per cent discount during non-peak hours, and 10 per cent discount on Sundays and on three designated National Holidays.
It added that the annual increase by 5 per cent shall also apply to Tourist Cards/Group Tickets.
Highlighting the rationale behind the decision, BMRCL said the annual revision is intended to ensure financial sustainability and service reliability, while avoiding the need for large and sudden fare increases in the future.
It further noted that the approach allows fares to move gradually in line with inflation and operating costs, thereby protecting commuters from sharp, infrequent hikes.
The BMRCL had drawn flak from various quarters last year when it effected a steep hike in fares.
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No need for guv: DMK leader Kanimozhi
Chennai (PTI): Senior DMK leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Friday reiterated her party’s opposition to the office of the governor amid uncertainty over government formation in Tamil Nadu after a fractured election mandate.
Speaking to PTI Videos, Kanimozhi emphasised that the DMK’s demand for the abolition of the governor’s post remained unchanged, especially as questions arise over constitutional propriety during the current political transition.
"Our position that we do not need a governor at all is something the DMK has never changed at any point in time," she said.
When asked about the governor’s actions following the election results—particularly the delay in inviting the leading party to form the government—Kanimozhi pointed to what she described as the "inherent friction" between the office of the governor and the political interests of the state.
She said the current situation "raises a lot of questions" and requires introspection regarding constitutional procedures.
Kanimozhi described the election results as lacking a "clear mandate", which she identified as the primary reason for the prevailing political uncertainty in the state.
"What the people decide is supreme," she said, adding that while the mandate was not decisive, it must be respected.
The Thoothukudi MP attributed the ongoing delays and "many confusions" to the absence of a decisive majority for any single party.
She firmly dismissed rumours about the DMK potentially supporting the AIADMK from outside to help stabilise the government.
She described such reports as mere "speculation" and "rumours".
"We can’t be responding to every rumour," she said, declining to comment on the AIADMK’s claims regarding its numbers to form the government.
The political situation in Tamil Nadu remains fluid as stakeholders await the governor’s next constitutional step in an Assembly where no party has secured a clear majority.
The DMK and AIADMK—both of which suffered significant losses to the TVK—are reportedly exploring tactical manoeuvres to navigate the hung Assembly.
The TVK, with 108 seats and the support of Congress’s five MLAs, is still short of the majority mark. The DMK and AIADMK secured 59 and 47 seats, respectively.
