Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar addressed the controversy surrounding the Bengaluru Metro fare hike, emphasizing that the Union government’s Secretary heads the fare fixation committee, deflecting blame from the state government. Shivakumar stated that no file related to the fare hike had reached him, and he plans to discuss the matter with BMRCL officials to assess the financial implications. Responding to BJP’s accusations, he challenged them to highlight their contributions to the state before criticizing.
Bengaluru MP Tejaswi Surya’s remarks on the fare hike approval process without state government consent were dismissed by Shivakumar, who criticized Surya’s lack of experience and urged him to refrain from making baseless statements. However, following discussions with Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Surya announced a temporary suspension of the proposed fare increase, citing concerns about affordability and accessibility of public transport in Bengaluru.
