Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai on Wednesday criticised the Karnataka government over the mismanagement of the Bengaluru Metro project. Reacting to a citizen’s concerns about the Metro’s rising fares and delays, Pai wrote, "Government of Karnataka has messed up the Metro project, delayed throughout due to bad management. They should bear the cost of repayment, not fob off on citizens here."
He took a sharp dig at Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, questioning the government’s priorities. "As per Siddaramaiah, it is ok to spend ₹56,000 crore of taxpayers’ money for freebies but not ok to be responsible for mismanaging BMRCL (Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited). All governments over the past 15 years are responsible for this mess," Pai stated.
He also urged Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar to step in and protect Bengaluru’s residents, asking, "Will our Minister DK Shivakumar please step in and protect Bengalureans?"
Pai’s comments come in response to Bengaluru Metro’s recent fare hike, which saw prices rise by about 50%. The maximum fare has increased from ₹60 to ₹90, and the minimum balance required on smart cards has been raised to ₹90. The BMRCL also introduced separate tariffs for peak and non-peak hours, similar to ride-hailing services like Ola and Uber.
According to the BMRCL, the fare revision was long overdue, as the last hike was implemented more than six years ago. The revision was recommended by the Fare Fixation Committee, which submitted its report on December 16, 2024. A report suggested that the BMRCL revised fares after 6-plus years due to rising costs and loan repayment of Rs 10,422 crore.
Local residents voiced their frustration over the situation. Shashi, a Bengalurian, asked, "Green and purple line running 20 trains short — who is accountable for revenue loss? Whitefield extension should have been done by 2020, but opened fully in 2024. Who is accountable for revenue loss? Why should we bear it?"