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Even as Bengaluru Metro commuters reel under a sharp fare hike of up to 71 per cent, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has introduced paid access to public toilets at 12 metro stations, drawing criticism from passengers and employee representatives alike.
According to a report by Moneycontrol, the toilets located in the unpaid or public areas of these stations have been handed over to Sulabh International, which will now maintain them and collect user fees, ₹2 for urinals and ₹5 for toilets.
The move affects prominent metro stations such as National College, Lalbagh, South End Circle, Jayanagar, Rashtriya Vidyalaya Road, Banashankari, Jaya Prakash Nagar, Yelachenahalli, Sir M Visvesvaraya Station – Central College, Dr BR Ambedkar Station – Vidhana Soudha, Cubbon Park, and Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station.
A senior BMRCL official told Moneycontrol that the decision was made to ensure better upkeep of the facilities that are often used by the general public, not just Metro commuters.
However, the new fee structure has triggered public backlash.
Responding to concerns, BMRCL clarified that toilets within the paid zones, accessible only after swiping a Metro card or token, remain free for all passengers. According to the publication, officials insisted the charges for public access toilets were unrelated to the fare hike and were solely aimed at improving cleanliness and management.
Still, the backlash hasn’t abated. Suryanarayana Murthy, Vice-President of the BMRCL Employees’ Union, criticised the corporation’s priorities. “The management wastes lakhs on unjustified expenses. Before imposing toilet charges, they should focus on stopping leakages in the system. This is not in the interest of the commuters,” he said according to the report.
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Metro fare hike
On February 8, BMRCL revised its fare structure, increasing ticket prices by up to 71 per cent, and nearly 100 per cent on some routes, while also introducing a 5 per cent surcharge during peak hours.
However, after few days, the move backfired. Average daily ridership plunged from around 8.6 lakh to 6.3 lakh, a decline of approximately 2.3 lakh passengers, PTI reported.
BMRCL had initially planned to hike fares by over 100 per cent in some segments, but later capped the increase at 71 per cent after public criticism. Despite the partial rollback, the drop in commuter numbers indicates public reluctance to bear the additional cost.
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