Campaign calling from Metro boycott gains steam

BENGALURU: A campaign against the hike in metro ticket prices in Bengaluru has gained steam with preparations under way to launch a Metro boycott campaign to draw the government’s attention to the issue.

Various organizations, including the Metro Passengers’ Forum and Save Bengaluru Committee, are collecting signatures from people to support the cause. They are appealling to the public, especially daily commuters, not to use the Metro for a week.

IT employees, who use the Metro daily, will appeal to the general public not to use the Metro for a week to put economic pressure on the authorities. It has been decided to hold ‘boycott Metro’ placards inside and outside the metro and condemn the fare hike.

The date of the Metro boycott campaign will be announced this weekend. Various organizations including IISc professors, pro-Kannada and student organizations, will hold a meeting and appeal to at least two lakh commuters who use the Metro daily not to use the metro for a week.

The organizations have decided to hold protests at Metro stations, holding placards condemning the fare hike. Public anger against the metro fare hike has reached a boiling point, and it remains to be seen how they will support the boycott campaign.

A Metro Passengers’ Forum member said that the fare hike has impacted public life negatively. “The government is supposed to provide facilities as a social obligation. The Metro fare hike creates traffic congestion rather than reducing it as people might shift to two-wheelers or cars. This will have a negative impact on AQI and may lead to a public health issue”, he said.

Supriya, a student, said, “After the metro fare hike, it has become difficult to manage my pocket money. As we are the students, we don’t keep extra money with us. Now, I switched to BMTC after the Metro fare hike, though it takes more time to reach the destination. If the public stand against the Metro fake hike, I will definitely support it”.

Another Metro Passengers’ Forum member said, “We will continue the protest and we will meet managing director BMRCL. We will collect opinions from more Metro passengers. If the BMRCL sticks to its decision we’ll decide on the next form of protest”.