Kolkata Metro fare hiked after six years; here are the new rates

The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) is raising the city's metro rail fare, after around six years. The minimum fare will remain unchanged, however, the fare at every subsequent level has been hiked by Rs 5. The new rates will be operational from December 5, sources said.

A KMRC release on Tuesday stated that when the new rates are implemented, the metro rail fare for the 2-5 km distance will be Rs 10. For the 5-10 km stretch, the fare will be Rs 15 and for the 10-20 km distance, the new rate will be Rs 20. However, for distances more than 20 km, the rate will remain Rs 25, as it was. The same goes for the less than 2 km stretch, the fare for which remains Rs 5.

Kolkata Metro: New fares

Until now, the existing rates for Kolkata Metro were as follows —

For the less than 5 km distance, the fare was Rs 5. For the 5-10 km stretch, it was Rs 10. For 10-20 km distance, the rate was Rs 15 and for the 20-25 km stretch, Rs 20. To travel above 25 km distance, one had to pay Rs 25.

But from now on, for travelling more than 2 km, one has to pay Rs 10, which is double the previous fare.

Kolkata Metro: Comparing with the existing fare

The KMRC had been planning to implement a fee hike in the existing Kolkata Metro fare rates for a long time, claiming that the fares for the city's metro services are lesser than metro rates in other cities. The officials wanted to address this concern and increase profits. However, the move can prove to be a hindrance in the attempt to get the populace to increase using public transportation as a means to reduce pollution on the streets.

Once the new fares are implemented, one has to pay Rs 10 to travel to any station besides the adjacent one. Therefore, even if the minimum fare remains unchanged in theory, for all practical purposes, the minimum fare can be called as having been hiked double.