Karnataka govt gifts a windfall to Bangalore Metro
S. V. Krishnamachari
Bangalore Metro is all set to reap an unexpected gain, thanks to the Karnataka government’s recently launched free bus travel for women in the state.
The gain could be as high as Rs 15 lakh per day.
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has seen a spike of more than 50,000 in daily ridership since the government launched the free travel scheme (called Shakti scheme) on June 11 this year. It’s one of the five guarantees promised by the Congress during the elections held in May and is widely believed to have played an important role in unseating the BJP government.
The average ridership hovered around 5.6 lakh per day in May and 5.70 lakh a month earlier. After the scheme was launched, the ridership rose gradually and reached a high of 6.7 lakh on July 15. The rise is expected to translate into substantial gains for the BMRCL.
“If our ridership increases by over 40,000 that means we get additional Rs 15 lakh per day, the Times of India quoted BMRCL managing director Anjum Parwez as saying on July 23.
He added that the existing operations of the Metro can handle a demand of 8.5 lakh ridership per day.
The Shakti scheme gained popularity among women given that it allows mobility for them across the state in ordinary government buses, excluding the air-conditioned and special ones.
A Deccan Herald report said that on June 13, around 40.17 lakh people travelled in Bangalore Metro Transport Corporation (BMTC), the city bus service. Of these, around 20.56 lakh were women.
The free travel scheme is estimated to cost Rs 4,000 crore in a full year for the government.
The monthly ridership for Bangalore Metro in February this year was 1.46 crore, generating Rs 34.90 crore and rose to 1.71 crore and Rs 41.40 crore in April. The next month saw 1.74 crore, netting Rs 43.45 crore for the BMRCL, according to a report in the Bangalore Mirror.
BMRCL’s revenues stood at Rs 163.33 crore in 2021-22, up sharply from Rs 49.19 crore in the preceding financial year (2020-21) but down from Rs 376.88 crore in 2019-20. The fall in revenues in 2020-21 was a result of the nationwide lockdown announced by the Central government to combat COVID 19.
For the three months ended June 2023, Bangalore Metro earned Rs 89.89 crore.
For the three months ended June 2023, Bangalore Metro earned Rs 89.89 crore.
In terms of revenues, Bangalore Metro is the second in India, after Delhi Metro and also the second-longest operational metro network in India, after Delhi Metro. Bangalore Metro launched its services in October 2011.
