Bengaluru Metro to charge for toilet usage at 12 stations, Karnataka BJP slams move

India Today

22-05-2025

In a move that has triggered political criticism and public concern, the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has allegedly started charging commuters for the use of toilets at 12 metro stations across the city. The charges range from Rs 2 to Rs 5 and apply to toilet facilities located in the unpaid areas of the selected stations.The stations where the charges have been introduced include National College, Lalbagh, South End Circle, Jayanagar, Rashtriya Vidyalaya Road, Banashankari, Jaya Prakash Nagar, Yelachenahalli, Sir M Visvesvaraya Station-Central College, Dr B R Ambedkar Station-Vidhana Soudha, Cubbon Park, and Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna Railway Station.advertisementThis move comes months after the Hyderabad Metro began a similar practice and follows a fare hike by BMRCL earlier this year, prompting accusations that basic public services are being increasingly monetised.
Reacting to the development, BJP state president BY Vijayendra, in a post on X, sharply criticised the Congress-led state government. 'After a brutal 71% fare hike, the @INCKarnataka government in Karnataka has stooped to a new low charging people to use toilets in the unpaid areas of 12 Bengaluru metro stations! In a city already grappling with rising costs and crumbling infrastructure, Congress has now found a way to monetize even basic human needs,' he posted.He further reminded the government of legal precedent, writing, 'Let me remind the Congress government that the Hon'ble Supreme Court has clearly ruled that access to sanitation is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution, an essential part of the right to live with dignity. But in the Congress playbook, even toilets are a revenue stream.'advertisementCondemning the policy as exploitative, Vijayendra added, 'From taxing the poor through inflated fares to now commercializing public toilets, the government has effectively turned into a legalised extortion racket. This isn't governance, it's shameless profiteering at the cost of the common citizen.'Citing the Swachh Bharat Mission spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he concluded, 'Under PM @narendramodi ji's Swachh Bharat vision, public toilets were meant to be free and accessible to all, especially in high-footfall areas like metro stations. But Congress has reduced this vision into Pay-Per-Pee politics. What next? Entry fees to breathe air in Cubbon Park?'Earlier this year, Bengaluru Metro increased fares by up to 50 per cent, triggering widespread backlash from city residents. Many voiced their frustration on social media using the hashtag '#BoycottMetro'. In response to the public outcry, the BMRCL revised the fare structure, reducing prices by up to 30 per cent. The board reviewed commuter feedback and rolled back the abnormal hike, with the revised fares coming into effect immediately.
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