Fare reduction to improve metro ridership is integral to Bengaluru’s preparedness for future traffic, a study on travel patterns of low and low-middle income commuters has concluded.
The study by researchers at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) argued that rationalised fares could significantly increase metro usage by Bengaluru’s low-income workforce, leading to impressive economic and environmental benefits.
Between July and September 2021, the researchers surveyed 436 households around existing metro stations and 914 households around proposed stations. Of the respondents living around existing stations, 65.71% said high costs stopped them from using the metro (figures in box). Around 80% of people living around under-construction stations expressed eagerness to use the metro.
