BENGALURU: The recent fare hike by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has seemingly benefited the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) more than Namma Metro. The BMTC has seen a significant increase in revenue, with daily earnings rising to Rs 7.25 crore.
Both Namma Metro and BMTC are vital public transport systems in Bengaluru, with over 50 lakh people using these services daily. The two have often been in competition with each other.
When Namma Metro increased its fares in February, it led to a decline in ridership. Many passengers shifted to BMTC, which offers better connectivity in some areas. Consequently, BMTC has seen a daily increase of two lakh passengers, taking the average daily ridership from 40 lakh to 42 lakh.
The daily revenue of BMTC has also increased from R 6.90 crore to Rs 7.25 crore. To accommodate the growing number of passengers, BMTC has increased the number of bus schedules from 54,000 to 62,000 by deploying an additional 2,000 buses. Overall, BMTC has benefited from the Namma Metro fare hike, resulting in increased revenue and ridership.
