Will Namma Metro face losses as women opt for free bus ride?

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government recently announced that all women can travel for free in all non-AC BMTC buses over which the citizens have expressed joy.

With the implemented of the peoplefriendly scheme, arise very pertinent questions. Will not the Bengaluru Metro Railway Corporation (BMC) take a hit because of this? Will the BMC face loss owing to this move? Namma Metro in Bengaluru serves an average of 5,80,000 passengers daily, including 2,50,000 women.

To cater to women passengers, separate coaches were introduced on all metro trains. The metro is a popular mode of transportation among government employees, private sector workers, tech employees and students alike. To complement the metro service, a feeder bus system has also been put in place.

The completion of the Baiyyappanahalli-Whitefield link, which was previously considered a missing link, is expected by midJuly. Additionally, the RV Road-Bommasandra yellow route, spanning a total of 40 km, is projected to be operational by the end of December.

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) aims to make these routes accessible to commuters, anticipating a rise in the average daily number of passengers. However, concerns have been raised by BMRCL officials themselves regarding a potential decline in women passengers, as it is estimated that 20-30 per cent of passengers may opt for the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) instead.

The BMTC is currently operating at a loss when compared to the metro in terms of daily traffic and revenue. To mitigate this, metro stations have taken measures to generate additional revenue by offering advertising opportunities to shops located within the premises.