Amid public outcry over the steep hike in Metro rail fare in Bengaluru, Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday shifted the blame to the state government, saying the fare fixation committee for the Metro is not based in Delhi.
He said the chief minister should be asked about the hike in Metro fare and not the central government.
“The state government knows the ground reality of the city and they should be in the prime decision-making process for every Metro project. So please ask this question to the state chief minister,” Vaishnaw said, addressing a news conference here.
A week ago, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) announced a fare hike, doubling Metro prices in the city, citing increased operational costs and the need to repay loans. It also increased the fare by five per cent during the ‘peak hour’ taking a cue from the ride-hailing taxi services.
After people vented their anger and gave a representation to the state government, chief minister Siddaramaiah directed the BMRCL managing director M. Maheshwar Rao to address the anomalies where the prices have doubled in certain sections.