Bengaluru, February 9 Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya clashed on Monday over the proposed increase in Metro rail fares.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), which had planned to implement a five per cent increase starting Monday, announced that it was postponing the decision on Sunday night.
On Monday morning, BJP MP from Bengaluru South, Tejasvi Surya, was detained for staging a demonstration at the Jayanagar Metro station, demanding affordable public transport in the city, according to police. Surya, who is also the national president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), protested against the fare hike, which has increased from Re one to Rs five depending on the distance.
According to Surya, this happened after intervention by the Centre. Surya staged a protest with an empty trunk to convey that the state government's promises are empty.
The protest was also in response to Shivakumar's statement that Surya is an "empty trunk" who is more active on social media than on the ground.
Speaking to PTI after being detained, Surya said, "Just because we are asking for affordable public transport and accountability, the government is forcing us into detention. This is shameful."
He said that instead of providing roads, infrastructure, and better amenities, the state government is "detaining" him.
Speaking to reporters, he also said, "The fare hike has been put on hold for the second time due to pressure from the Union government. The state government should release a white paper on the economic situation."
Rejecting Surya's allegation, Shivakumar said that the Centre has no role to play in holding back the hike.
At a press conference on Monday, Shivakumar said that the directions from the Centre on Sunday night have "no value".
"The Karnataka government put the price hike on hold not under any political pressure or on the advice of the Centre. The Centre has no power to interfere in this or give directions to me in this regard," the DCM, who is the Bengaluru Development Minister, said.
According to him, a senior Central government officer sent a letter to the BMRCL Managing Director not to proceed with the fare hike.
"It is their recommendation, and they have asked us to put it on hold, but the question is whether they have the power to do this," Shivakumar sought to know.
He said he spoke to experts in Bengaluru, Central government officials, and other state governments with metro rail services to determine whether the Centre has any say on fare fixation.
He said that the Centre does not have the power to interfere with the implementation of the recommendations of the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) until a new FFC is formed and gives a fresh recommendation.
He read out a line from the policy document on Metro Rail, which said, "the Central government may, from time to time, constitute a fare fixation committee for the purpose of recommending fares for the carriage of passengers by the Metro Rail."
The Deputy CM said that in 2020, the FFC was formed, comprising three members. It has the Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs as the chairperson. It submitted its report on December 16, 2024. The FFC's recommendation on fare revision was implemented on February 9, 2025.
According to the FFC, after a year, the annual increase subject to a maximum of five per cent should be implemented from February 9, 2026, Shivakumar said.
Accordingly, the five per cent increase was introduced, the DCM said.
On Sunday, a Central government officer wrote to the Managing Director of BMRCL, saying that the company board meeting was scheduled to be held on February 9.
"Until then, it is requested that the FFC recommendations for the annual fare increase should be put on hold," Shivakumar told reporters.
"The board meeting did not take place on Monday," he said.