Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited grapples with huge costs of operation and setting up infrastructure, and cannot now consider offering concessions.
So will Bangalore Metro throw its doors open to Bangaloreans on April 4? While we wait and watch, there is a group of young citizens who nurse a grouse — Namma Metro has no plans of introducing concessions for students. Not yet, at least.
While Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) offers nearly 75% concession for students, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) grapples with huge costs of operation and setting up infrastructure, and cannot now consider offering concessions.
BMRCL fares announced in February had no mention of any discounts, either for students or for senior citizens. While the minimum fare on the Metro for travelling between two stations is Rs10, the maximum is Rs15.
Students cannot help making comparisons with BMTC, though, and point out that there are different schemes under which student passes are issued for those travelling by bus.
Passes are available for yearly and half-yearly periods. And these come at different costs for different levels of education. For technical and medical students, the pass for 10 months costs Rs1,370; for pre-university students, the pass costs Rs1,070 for 10 months.
Schoolchildren in classes one to seven can travel free by BMTC, and high school girl students too are allowed to ride the buses at no cost.
“BMTC has helped students immensely. When we calculate how much a student with a pass pays for a bus ride, and compare that with those who don’t use the pass, the difference is huge. Metro is the new thing in Bangalore. We wish the ride on the Metro too will be something that we can do at a reduced rate,” says Sashikala Rao, first-year student of engineering.
Manasi Kiran, a PU student of Maharani Lakshmi Ammani College says, “I sometimes need to travel across the city for music classes. The ride takes a lot of time by bus, so it would be good to take the Metro instead. Once the full north-south corridor is operational, I hope the Metro too will become profitable and be able to afford to give us a concession.”
BMTC officials say that the corporation has in mind the needs of students, and ensures that they are not put to discomfort while using public transport. Recently, in compliance with the government's orders, BMTC even reimbursed students Rs200, as some passes were issued before the reduction in the fares for passes was announced.
Professor MN Sreehari, advisor to government on transportation and infrastructure and also a panel member for the Metro work, agreed that there was a need to extend services to students at lower rates.
However, he said, “The Metro is a corporation and they are working on a premium sector with huge liabilities. It will not be possible for them to offer concessions for students or elder citizen passengers.”
He added that eventually, the Metro should work out a fare structure that extended special fares to the old and to students, so that these sections of the population also had an incentive to ride the Metro.
It may be noted that BMRCL and BMTC have already entered into a MoU in February that promises concessions to those who use both modes of public transport.
A Metro-Bus Transit (MBT) pass will be available, whereby the commuter pays Rs70 for travelling extensively by ordinary bus and Metro and Rs110 for travelling by air-conditioned buses and Metro. It will be valid for one day.
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