Hyderabad Metro announces 10 per cent discount on increased fares

Hyderabad, May 20 (IANS) The Hyderabad Metro Rail management on Tuesday announced 10 percent discount on the increased fares, which came into effect from May 17.

L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited (L&TMRHL) announced the discount across all fare zones in all three metro corridors, which will come into effect from May 24.

This decision has been taken after carefully considering passenger feedback and reflecting the organisation’s commitment to enhancing commuter affordability while maintaining financial prudence, the company said in a statement.

Last week, it announced a ticket fare hike from two rupees on the minimum fare of Rs 10, to Rs 15 for the maximum fare of Rs 60. The fare hike was about 20 to 25 per cent.

This was the first fare hike raised after seven-and-a-half years of the project taking off.

L&TMRHL had stated that the fare revision was introduced based on the recommendations of the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) and as part of a comprehensive strategy to ensure the long-term sustainability of metro operations and maintenance.

However, the hike was not well received by the commuters, who demanded a rollback. The opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) had demanded that the government withdraw the hike immediately by absorbing it on behalf of the Hyderabad Metro Rail.

Following the demand from various quarters, L&TMRHL announced a 10 per cent discount on the revised fares.

It said that this decision underscores its commitment to addressing passenger needs while maintaining operational sustainability.

"While the fare revision was essential for maintaining the sustainability of metro operations, we understand the importance of minimising the financial impact on our valued passengers. In alignment with our passenger’s feedback and welfare, we have decided to provide a 10 per cent discount on the newly revised fares, across all fare zones in all the three metro corridors from 24th May 2025, demonstrating our dedication to making daily commuting more accessible," L&TMRHL MD & CEO, KVB Reddy, said.

The FFC, under the chairmanship of a former High Court Judge, was constituted by the Centre on September 5, 2002, and it had recommended a revised fare structure on January 25, 2023.

The FFC had recommended a two-stage fare hike two years ago, within a gap of six months in February 2023. But, due to various reasons, including the general elections, the decision was postponed.

While announcing the fare hike, the company had stated that it cannot afford to put off the decision anymore, as its losses have been mounting. It said that it needs funds to buy new metro trains to increase the number of services during the peak hours in the morning and evening.

--IANS

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