Sixteen ABVP Activists Charged for Protesting Metro Fare Increase in Karnataka
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Synopsis
Sixteen ABVP activists were booked for protesting the fare hike by BMRCL in Bengaluru, as the government faces backlash. The protest happened without permission, highlighting growing public discontent over increased Metro fares.
Key Takeaways
- Sixteen ABVP workers charged for protest.
- Protest against BMRCL's fare hike.
- Congress blames Centre; BJP criticizes state.
- Metro ridership decreased significantly.
- Calls for fare rollback from Janata Dal.
Bengaluru, Feb 15 (NationPress) Sixteen members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) have been charged for organizing a demonstration against the fare increase implemented by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), according to police reports.
The authorities confirmed that an FIR was lodged at the Cottonpet Police Station in Bengaluru, as the ABVP activists conducted the protest without prior approval from relevant officials.
The Congress-led Karnataka government is pointing fingers at the Centre, while the opposition BJP criticizes the state government regarding the fare increase.
Facing backlash over the 100 percent fare hike, BMRCL has stated that it will work to address complaints by modifying ticket prices between different stages; however, the new minimum and maximum fares will remain unchanged.
The Karnataka government is under scrutiny from various quarters, including the general public, concerning the steep rise in ticket prices.
Reports suggest that daily Metro ridership has decreased to 6 to 7 lakh from 8 to 9 lakh.
The Janata Dal (Secular) organized a protest at Freedom Park on Friday, calling for an immediate cancellation of the fare increase.
"Due to the elevated costs, over 1.5 lakh passengers have already ceased using the Metro. This project was originally initiated to alleviate traffic congestion in Bengaluru, but it has strayed from its primary purpose," the party claimed.
Previously, CM Siddaramaiah urged BMRCL to reconsider the fare hike. He mentioned, "The manner in which the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited has executed the fare revision has resulted in discrepancies, with prices more than doubling in specific segments."
He further added, "I have requested the Managing Director of BMRCL to promptly resolve these concerns and lower fares where they have increased excessively. The interests of commuters must be prioritized."
Last Saturday, BMRCL announced a revision of Metro ticket prices.
