Hyderabad Metro To Hike Fares by 25 to 30 Percent from May 10

Hyderabad Metro Rail ticket fares are set to increase soon, with the hike expected to be implemented from May 10. The proposal, long under discussion, is now almost finalized as L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd moves forward to reduce operational losses.

According to sources, the fare revision is based on a report submitted by the Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) appointed by the central government in September 2022. L&T officials plan to meet Chief Minister Revanth Reddy on May 8 to seek approval for the fare hike. Since the issue is already under the CM’s consideration, officials believe a positive response is likely.

The upcoming fare hike is expected to be between 25% and 30%, according to a senior L&T official. He added that the fare revision follows the Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002, and aims to reduce financial losses. The official also mentioned that Bangalore Metro recently increased fares by 50% under a similar model. L&T hopes to generate an additional ₹150–170 crore annually through the hike.

Hyderabad Metro, a key urban transport project, was developed by L&T under a public-private partnership starting in 2012, at a cost of ₹14,132 crore. The first phase was completed in November 2017, covering 69.2 km across the Miyapur–LB Nagar, Nagole–Rayadurgam, and JBS–MGBS corridors. The Metro currently operates around 1,200 services daily, carrying 4.80 lakh passengers on weekdays, and about 5.10 lakh on weekends and holidays.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Metro earned over ₹80 lakh per day, but revenues have dropped significantly since. Officials cite reduced passenger numbers between 2020 and 2022, limited income from malls and advertisements, and incomplete development of land allotted under the Transport Oriented Development (TOD) model. Of the 267 acres allocated, commercial complexes have been built in only 4–5 locations, while much of the land remains unused.

L&T has also pointed to the Mahalaxmi free bus travel scheme for women, introduced by the Congress government, as another reason for the drop in Metro ridership.

The FFC’s report, based on public opinion and submitted in 2022, was delayed due to the 2023 state elections. Since then, L&T and Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) have been pushing for fare revision to recover losses.